HC Deb 09 January 2002 vol 377 cc881-2W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) rubber and (b) plastic bullets have been used since their introduction; how many have been purchased in each year and at what cost; and how many have been purchased since publication of the Patten report and at what cost. [17758]

Jane Kennedy

The tables give details of the number of baton rounds used by the police, since separate police recording began in 1981.

Year Police use of baton rounds
1981 19,649
1982 335
1983 545
1984 1,503
1985 906
1986 1,462
1987 1,908
1988 2,292
1989 836
1990 211
1991 235
1992 39
1993 497
1994 214
1995 273
1996 6,949
1997 2,527
1998 1,236
Year Police use of baton rounds
1999 111
2000 22
2001 (21 November) 89

The Chief Constable has informed me that details of the costs in relation to the purchase of baton rounds, and the number purchased prior to 1995, are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The following table gives details of the number of baton rounds purchased by the Royal Ulster Constabulary each year from 1995:

Year Baton rounds purchased by police
1995 25,200
1996 60,875
1997 33,900
1998 75,227
1999 50,400
2000 76,320
2001 46,000

Since publication of the Patten Report the Royal Ulster Constabulary has purchased 122,320 baton rounds, and to date the Police Service of Northern Ireland has not purchased any baton rounds.

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