| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Police Training
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is standard procedure for United Kingdom police forces to provide firearms training systems that include training sequences designed to train police or other security personnel to fire on unarmed demonstrators; and if he will make a statement. [2775]
Mr. Michael:
It would be entirely wrong for police forces not to train officers, or anyone else, to fire on unarmed demonstrators. The only circumstances in which police officers are trained to use a firearm against an unarmed person are training in the use of plastic baton rounds against people engaging in serious public disorder. Plastic baton rounds may be used as a last resort, where conventional methods of policing have been tried and failed or are unlikely to succeed if tried, and where the chief officer decides such action to be necessary because of the risk of loss of life or serious injury or widespread destruction of property where the damage may lead to serious risk of loss of life or serious personal injury. The police in the United Kingdom are trained to respond with the minimum force required to counter effectively any threat which they or members of the public come under. The use of force is governed by section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 which provides that a person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime. If my hon. Friend has any evidence
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 513
of any police force in the United Kingdom using such training sequences, I shall be grateful if she will let me have her evidence straightaway.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of mislabelled alcoholic drinks to children; and if he will make a statement. [2974]
Mr. George Howarth:
The Government are very concerned about the promotion and sale of certain alcoholic drinks to children. My right hon. Friend has set up a Ministerial Group to look at the issue. As its chairman, I am holding urgent talks with the drinks industry to demand swift action. If we are not satisfied with the response we are prepared to take action ourselves.
A range of children's icepop drinks was recently found to have been contaminated with alcohol. The producer says that this was accidental and has withdrawn the product from the market.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the overall increase in the numbers of (a) police officers of all ranks and (b) police constables in England and Wales over the period 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997. [2965]
Mr. Michael:
Provisional figures from police forces show that total police numbers increased by 257 to 127,158 in the 12 months ending March 1997. Within that total, police constable numbers increased by 460 to 98,132. These increases are well below the 1,000 additional officers planned by the previous Government last year.
Mr. Cawsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Brussels on 26 and 27 May. [3978]
Mr. Straw:
The Minister of State and I represented the United Kingdom at the Council. The main matters dealt with were as follows:
The Council agreed as "A" points, among other things, the Europol Drugs Unit budget for 1998, a joint action on co-operation on law and order and security, and a resolution on unaccompanied third-country national minors. Two actions covering Europol were also agreed, one covering how data will be stored and analysed and the other with the conditions of employment for Europol staff.
The Commission presented proposals for a future joint action on temporary protection for displaced persons. The proposals concern possible arrangements for European Union member states to respond in a co-ordinated way to situations where large numbers of refugees seek to enter the European Union from countries where events may have placed them in danger. In the light of preliminary discussion, the proposals will now be considered in detail in the appropriate working group.
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 514
There was discussion of a draft joint action aimed at providing an appropriately speedy mechanism for identifying and controlling new synthetic drugs throughout the Union. Establishment of such a mechanism was agreed in principle, although some work is still needed on the finer points of the text.
There was agreement in principle to a Protocol to the Europol Convention, which would lay down the extent to which Europol staff will benefit from certain privileges and immunities when carrying out their official functions. Minor amendments to the text are needed before the Protocol can be signed. This should be achieved fairly quickly.
Agreement was also reached on the second Protocol to the Convention on the Protection of the Communities' Financial Interests. This Protocol lays down steps to be taken by member states to criminalise certain acts of fraud and corruption against the Community budget and laundering of the proceeds of such fraud and corruption. The Protocol should be ready for signature in the near future.
The Presidency reported progress on the draft Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. Although some progress has been made, a number of issues remain to be finalised by the working group.
The Presidency reported the outcome of their meeting with representatives of the United States Government on 14 April, under the terms of the Transatlantic Dialogue. It was agreed that broad themes for ongoing co-operation should concentrate on the fight against terrorism; implementing of the Caribbean drugs initiative; and prevention of drug smuggling.
The Commission gave a summary of work under way to combat trafficking in women and children. This included projects under a number of European Union Justice and Home Affairs programmes, as well as on the role of voluntary organisations working in the field.
The Council also took note of reports on the work of the task force on organised crime in the Baltic region. The task force, which involves Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Presidency and the Commission, has taken a number of concrete measures, including the establishment of 24-hour national contact points, joint communications systems and actions against stolen motor vehicles and drugs. It will report to heads of Government in January/February 1998.
Two new European Union Conventions were signed by Ministers. One covered arrangements for the Service in Member States of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters, including a Protocol covering the role in these matters of the European Court of Justice. The other was the Convention on the Fight Against Corruption involving Officials of the European Communities or Officials of the Member States of the European Union.
Meetings were held with Ministers of the associated Central and Eastern European countries and, separately, with Cyprus. These concentrated on asylum, and covered in particular the application of the safe Third Country concept, public attitudes to asylum, and the possibility of a parallel convention to the Dublin Convention. The Dublin Convention lays down the procedure for
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 515
determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities. A parallel Convention would create a similar procedure for European Union member states and other contracting parties outside the Union.
Ms Keeble:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received a copy of the National Advisory Council for the Boards of Visitors Annual Report for 1996. [3987]
Ms Joyce Quin:
We received an advance copy of the first annual report by the National Advisory Council on 29 May. It covers the period from 1 February 1996 to 31 January 1997. The report describes the varied and extensive programme of work carried out by the National Advisory Council on behalf of the Boards of Visitors. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to introduce legislation to simplify and tighten the laws relating to animal testing wording on cosmetics labels in order to circumscribe ambiguous marketing. [2880]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I have been asked to reply.
Requirements related to claims regarding animal testing of cosmetics will be tightened by regulation 4(4) of the Cosmetics Products (Safety) Regulations 1996, which will be enforced from 1 January 1998.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will issue guidance to planning inspectors to ensure that applications for BSE incinerators are not granted approval on appeal where they will destroy business confidence in a locality. [2477]
Mr. Raynsford:
A number of recent planning applications have related to the construction of incineration facilities for the destruction of cattle slaughtered as part of the over 30 months scheme, rather than to those which show clinical signs of BSE for which provision exists already. Planning inspectors reach decisions on the basis of submitted evidence and published Government Planning Guidance. It is not appropriate to aim guidance solely at Planning Inspectors and on a single issue. Consideration is being given currently to whether there is a need to issue planning advice, to a wider audience, on facilities required to deal with wastes arising from the over 30 months scheme.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |