29/06/2010 - No Mosquito device ban: Government
The Government has dismissed calls for the banning of a device that emits a high-pitched noise to disperse teenage gangs and tackle anti-social behaviour.
Individual local authorities must decide on whether to use, or continue to use, the Mosquito device, police minister Nick Herbert said. He added that ministers must not intervene on the decision.
The Council of Europe has already called for the Mosquito to be banned, claiming that its use may be a breach of human rights laws, but Mr Herbert said the Government had no plans to investigate the device, which can only be heard by young people due to their slightly increased level of hearing.
In a Commons written reply to former Labour minister Tom Watson, Mr Herbert said: "In relation to the Council of Europe report and the issue of guidance, our stance is that we do not see this as an issue on which we should intervene."
Research conducted by the Health and Safety Executive concluded that there was "little likelihood" of anyone suffering long-term ill health due to the Mosquito, although there were some "short-term subjective effects".
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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