Written question asked by Kevin McNamara (Labour) on Thursday, 5 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 3 May 2001. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Thursday, 3 May 2001 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what impact tests were conducted by (a) the Defence Evaluation Research Agency at Porton Down and (b) the Defence Scientific Advisory Council on the L21A1 plastic baton round; how many (i) animals and (ii) human beings were involved in testing; and how many fatalities and what injuries were sustained as a result.

Answer: Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact tests were conducted by (a) the Defence Evaluation Research Agency at Porton Down and (b) the Defence Scientific Advisory Council on the L21A1 plastic baton round; how many (i) animals and (ii) human beings were involved in testing; and how many fatalities and what injuries were sustained as a result. [158048] Mr. Spellar: For the medical evaluation of the L21A1 baton round, no physical impact tests were conducted by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency or by the Defence Scientific Advisory Council on living animals or on human beings. Computer models of the head, thorax and abdomen were used to compare the biomechanical response of the body following the impact of L21A1 and L5A7 baton rounds. In addition, physical impact tests were conducted on excised bovine scapulae to compare the skull fracture patterns of the two projectiles. The bovine scapula is a physical model of skull fracture and the scapulae were obtained from the meat trade.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 158048; 367 c715W
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Animals Testing Defence Evaluation and Research Agency Riot control weapons Baton rounds People Porton Down (Wiltshire)
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk