HC Deb 08 January 2004 vol 416 cc11-2WS
The Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety (Ms Hazel Blears)

I have placed in the Library of the House a statement by the Defence Scientific Advisory Council (DSAC) on the ricochet potential of the L21A1 baton round. This baton round is used as a less lethal option by the police and the Army.

The Ministry of Defence has carried out research on the post-ricochet trajectories and kinetic energy of baton rounds. The Sub-Committee, Defence Scientific Advisory Council has assessed the medical implications of the ricochets and has made a statement.

The DSAC statement concluded that the experimental studies and analysis undertaken were an acceptable technical approach to the prediction of the risks.

DSAC has recommended: Users should be made aware that L21A1 baton rounds can ricochet in some circumstances with high energy, and that the presence of obstacles and of personnel other than the intended target should form part of their risk assessment in the decision to fire the weapon; A desire for a reduction of the ricochet potential should be stated in the research and operational requirements of future kinetic energy weapon systems, and be evaluated experimentally.

The Association of Chief Police Officers tell me that police firearms training addresses the ricochet potential of ammunition used by the police service. However, in order to ensure that this issue is specifically addressed, the results of these studies will be brought to the attention of persons responsible for firearms training in all forces throughout the United Kingdom. Current Army training on the use of baton rounds already addresses the issue of ricochet potential.