Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals for police officers in rural areas to be routinely issued with firearms.

The policy in this country has long been that the police should not generally be armed. This gives character to our policing that we should not readily give up and is vital in promoting good relations with the public and the community they serve.

Any proposal to change this longstanding position would have to be considered very carefully.

It is for chief officers to determine the number of armed officers in their areas. This is based on a thorough assessment of threat and risk, and capability is kept under constant review by the National Armed Policing Lead and the National Police Coordination Centre.