HL Deb 14 September 2001 vol 627 cc44-5WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What individuals or organisations requested the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to make its call of 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets". [HL570]

The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission considered police regulations on the use of baton rounds before it made its call on 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets". [HL572]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has considered paragraphs 9.12 to 9.17 of the report of the independent commission on policing for Northern Ireland (the Patten report), where it is reported that overseas police officers would use live rounds if confronted with the circumstances of Northern Ireland. [HL573]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will name the "Chief Constables in England" cited in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's call of 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets". [HL574]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What efforts the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission made to ascertain the circumstances in which the Royal Ulster Constabulary uses "plastic bullets" before issuing its call on 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using them. [HL575]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What authority the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has for its claim, in its call of 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets", that the new plastic bullets "appear[s]" to be even more dangerous than those used before 1 June. [HL663]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What authority the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission had, in its call of 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets", for the claim that it was a "disproportionate use of force". [HL664]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What convention rights the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was relying upon in its call of 18 July for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to stop using "plastic bullets"; and what cases of the European Commission on Human Rights or the European Court of Human Rights it was relying upon. [HL665]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

These are matters for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.