HC Deb 19 December 2002 vol 396 cc80-1WS
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Jane Kennedy):

Today I have placed in the Library a copy of the Report on the third phase of the research programme into alternative policing approaches towards the management of conflict. Copies of the reports on the previous two phases of the programme were placed in the Library of the House on 4 April and 30 November 2001.

The programme was set up, in response to the Patten recommendations on public order equipment, to: establish whether a less potentially lethal alternative to the baton round is available; and review the public order equipment which is presently available or could be developed in order to expand the range of tactical options available to operational commanders. I am grateful to the Steering Group, and to the many contributors to the programme, including those in government service, the police, academics and other experts, for their sustained commitment.

In summary, the report: makes clear that there is no off the shelf, commercially available, effective and acceptable alternative to the baton round at this time, gives further details on the decision of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to place an order for six vehicle-mounted water cannon announced on 18 July this year; describes the extensive research into alternative less lethal systems conducted over the past twelve months; highlights the efforts made in developing an integrated and community-oriented approach to the management of conflict. This report contains both an important account of the approach developed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and the international context. The report describes the progress in researching two alternative technologies offered by the private sector, building on the comprehensive evaluation in the phase 2 report. It also sets out the urgent development research that the Northern Ireland Office has commissioned from the Government's own professional advisers. This is currently assessing the scope to develop both an attenuated energy (perhaps soft-nosed) projectile and a discriminate irritant projectile. A further report on the potential of the two alternative systems will be published in due course, although completion of any programme through to manufacture would inevitably be resource intensive and take several years.

The aim of this programme is not only to take research forward, but also to encourage wider debate about the issue of conflict management. The programme has been conducted in an open and transparent way, including publication of developments over the past twelve months and presentations at conferences. The report invites comments on a number of specific issues, that have particular application in Northern Ireland.