Asked by: Lord Davies of Stamford (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 28 June (HL8701), whether Special Constables can qualify for Taser training; if so, on what criteria; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Special Constables are not currently authorised to use Taser®. It would be for the National Police Chiefs Council to determine whether any changes to the current model were needed in the first instance. If so, their proposal would then need to be considered by the Home Secretary.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Stamford (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any category of police officer dealing with the public is excluded from being eligible for training in the use of Tasers and from being issued with them; and if so, on what grounds.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We are committed to giving the police the necessary tools to do their job and TASER®, a form of conducted energy device (CED), provides officers with an important less-lethal, tactical option when facing potentially physically violent situations
While its use must be in line with the Home Secretary’s authorisation of the device, the deployment of TASER® is an operational matter for Chief Officers. It is for them to determine the number of devices and specially trained officers based on their force assessment of threat and risk
The use of CEDs is currently limited to officers who have completed their probationary period and been confirmed in rank. Officers who wish to undertake CED training are also required to have the support of their supervisor and have to successfully pass the training. Any change to this model, including the eligibility of officers to apply for special training, would require formal consideration by the Home Secretary.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Stamford (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the security service, Home Office officials or police officers have travelled to Paris following the recent terrorist attacks there to be briefed in detail on the incident and to draw potential conclusions for the protection of the public in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Bates
As my Right Honourable Friend, the Home Secretary, said in her statement to the House on 14th January 2015 (Hansard columns 869-871); UK police and Security Services are working closely with their French counterparts to support them in the response and to draw out all the possible lessons for the UK following the terrible attacks that we saw in Paris. It would not be appropriate to comment in further detail on an ongoing investigation.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Stamford (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of recent events in Paris, they are reconsidering the range of weapons issued to armed police units in this country.
Answered by Lord Bates
Following the attacks in Mumbai in 2008, the Government set up a programme to improve the UK’s ability to respond to this type of incident. As a result, there has been a step change in police firearms capability, speed of military response and the ability of emergency services specialists to save lives under higher risk conditions, as well as a range of other measures to enhance protective security.
We have improved joint working between the emergency services. Specialist joint police, ambulance and fire teams are now in place in key areas across England, with equivalents in Scotland and Wales, trained and equipped to respond and manage casualties in the event of a marauding gun attack. Regional and national response to firearms attacks are regularly tested and exercised. However, since the recent events in Paris, and to be absolutely sure we have the right numbers of officers, with the rights skills and equipment, in the right places, we are working with police to review these arrangements.