§ Mr. McNamaraTo 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 KennedyThe tables give details of the number of baton rounds used by the police, since separate police recording began in 1981.
882W
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.