HL Deb 16 March 2004 vol 659 c13WS
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos)

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.

I have today placed in the Library guidance developed by the Association of Chief Police Officers on the deployment and use of water cannon, together with a medical statement by the independent medical panel on the use of water cannon. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

With the publication of this guidance and the final medical statement, the water cannon purchased by the Police Service of Northern Ireland can now be deployed operationally for use in appropriate circumstances.