USE OF PLASTIC BULLETS

Early day motion 191, tabled 18 July 2001 by Lord Trimble (UUP). Signed by 6 members.

That this House condemns the views of Professor Brice Dickson, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, who has called for an end to the use of plastic bullets by the RUC; shares the astonishment of RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan at Professor Dickson's lack of rigour and his references to the example of English police forces, when the chief constables of the English constabularies concerned have expressed support for Sir Ronnie Flanagan and the Royal Ulster Constabulary; supports Mr Flanagan's authoritative view that plastic bullets are not used as a method of crowd control by RUC officers, but as a means of curbing the actions of individuals who are posing a serious risk to life and property; and calls on Professor Dickson to withdraw his naive and ill-informed words with immediate effect.

Signatures by party: UUP 5, Conservative 1.