Thursday 29 January 2004

'"On the basis that an acceptable and effective and less lethal alternative is available, the baton round would no longer be used after the end of 2003. In the event that that has not been achieved, the Government would report on the progress of the fourth phase of the research programme and review the options for less lethal alternatives consulting widely with a range of interested parties including the Chief Constable and the Policing Board".

I have today placed in the Library a copy of the report on the fourth phase of the research programme into alternative policing approaches towards the management of conflict.

A multi-agency steering group was set up in 2000, following publication of the Patten report on policing in Northern Ireland. Its purpose was to take forward the programme to establish whether an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the baton round is available and to review the public order equipment which is presently available or could be developed in order to expand the range of tactical options available to operational commanders.

As Patten envisaged, it has been a wide-ranging and substantial programme. I am grateful to many contributors, including the police, those in government service, academics and other experts, for their sustained commitment.

This fourth report of the steering group, which I have published today, concludes that there is as yet no commercially available product that meets the criteria of an acceptable and effective and less potentially lethal alternative.

The Government will continue to keep all commercial products and technological research under review. It will ensure that those appearing to have real potential are tested and medically evaluated if appropriate.

Against this background, the Government have concluded that it would be right to continue with the development of the Attenuating Energy and Discriminating Irritant Projectiles (AEP and DIP) which represent the best opportunity to get an alternative to the L21A1 into service as rapidly as possible. The progress made in their development is set out fully in the report. While significant challenges remain, it is projected that the Attenuating Energy Projectile would be available by the end of 2004, ready for operational use before summer 2005. Its development also follows up one of the recommendations for research by the independent medical advisers in their evaluation of the existing baton round, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 2 April 2001.

Work is also continuing on a second new projectile, the Discriminating Irritant Projectile. This is inevitably a longer-term project. It is by no means certain that it can be successfully achieved, although the signs are positive thus far.

We believe that there is real value in this combined programme, which has the potential to provide an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the current baton round. The Government intend to consult with a range of interested parties, including the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

In publishing the report today, I am inviting comments on it from interested parties.

Official Report, col. 35WS), I announced that I had approved in principle, and subject to full trade union consultation, plans by the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) to close the Army Technical Foundation College (ATFC) at Arborfield, and transfer students to, principally, the Army Foundation College (AFC) at Harrogate, where a technical training stream will be introduced. There will be other changes to the way in which junior recruits are trained within the ATRA, but these do not envisage closures of any establishments.

I can now confirm that the consultation exercise has been concluded and no serious objections have been raised to the proposal. I have therefore agreed that the closure plans may be implemented. Training at the college will therefore cease with effect from August this year, the last students being accepted at the beginning of this month (January), and the college will close in March 2005.

The principal aim of this proposal is to improve the quality and efficiency of training provided to junior entrants to the technical trades. It will not affect the Army's commitment or ability to accept suitable junior applicants on to appropriate courses at either the AFC or other ATRA junior entry establishments. I do not anticipate that this will have any major impact on the Army's recruiting plans in general.