Standard Motion · S3M-06327 · Session 3
Legal Status of Strathclyde Police Taser Pilots
The motion
That the Parliament notes with concern the legal analysis commissioned by Amnesty International indicating that the Strathclyde Taser pilot is unlawful; notes that under this pilot 30 frontline police officers were supplied with Taser weapons following a three-day training course; further notes that this legal analysis concluded that Scottish ministers are required to give written authorisation before any new scheme to arm police officers can take place; understands that no such authorisation has been obtained for the Strathclyde pilot; further notes the legal advice given to Amnesty International that while firearms legislation is reserved to the UK Parliament, control over firearms policy and the delivery of existing legislation has been specifically devolved to the Scottish Ministers; recognises that this is at odds with the assertion by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, made during a debate on the Strathclyde pilot on 25 February 2010, that “Since the matter is a reserved responsibility, this Parliament has no locus to intervene, and the decision about how best to apply the existing legislation is an operational matter for each police force”; recognises that it was the Home Secretary who signed off on issuing Tasers to frontline police officers in England and Wales; believes that extending the use of Tasers beyond firearms officers represents a shift in policy, not an operational decision, which requires ministerial sanction and which has serious human rights implications; further believes that there is need for proper debate on the implications of further arming police officers, and, in light of the doubts about the legal position, calls for the Strathclyde pilot to be halted in order that these issues be resolved.
Signatures by party
9 MSPs besides the lodger · 2 from other partiesLD 7Lab 1Green 1
Party on the day each MSP signed. Signing a motion is voluntary and not whipped. Who signs whose motions
Vote
No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.
Supporters
9 MSPsLD 7 Lab 1 Green 1
Show all 9 supporters by party
LD 7
Lab 1
Green 1
Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3M-06327 by reference.