Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 April 1988.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any guidance has been given to police forces on the subject of AIDS in relation to the arrest of suspects.
Guidance issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers in 1985 included advice on the precautions to be taken against the risks of infection from contaminated blood and sharp objects, such as syringes.
Does the Minister believe that those guidelines should be reinforced or strengthened, particularly in view of an arrest which took place in my constituency recently, which has resulted in an action for damages by a police officer, somewhat mischievously, against an arrested suspect?
This is clearly a serious matter and the Home Office, in conjunction with the DHSS, is drafting further guidance. That further guidance is the subject of discussions with the ACPO and other staff associations.
What compensation will be available to a police constable who might be attacked by a sufferer from AIDS and might himself therefore contract the disease?
I am glad to say that, so far as I am aware, no officer has contracted AIDS as a result of his duty, but if an officer did contract AIDS as a result of his duty, I understand that he would be covered by the normal sickness provisions within the force.