Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police forces report incidents of the use of force on individuals by police officers and the ethnicity and ages of those such force is used against.

The police collect data nationally on some types of force used in the deployment of their duties, such as Taser and firearms. There is no single reporting mechanism for police forces on all uses of force, including restraint, and the Home Office does not currently collect information routinely on its use.

At the Black Mental Health and Home Office Summit on 23 October, the Home Secretary announced that the national policing lead, Chief Constable David Shaw will conduct an in-depth review of the publication of Taser data and other use of force by police officers. This will present options for publishing the data on how police officers are deploying these sensitive powers, who they are being used on and what the outcome was.

Work is also underway with a number of forces, on a voluntary basis, to improve information held locally about those who are detained by the police under sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Five forces have to date provided some initial information for the months of April and May in relation to the age, gender and ethnicity of such individuals and whether restraint was used.

The police must be able to use force to protect the public, vulnerable people and themselves. However, the Government is clear that any use of force, including restraint, must be lawful, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.