ELIZABETH II

Chemical Weapons Act 2020

2020 CHAPTER 15

An Act to ban the use of chemical weapons by police in order to establish a more peaceful society and protect the public from police brutality.
Bill ID LB011
Author(s) The Rt Hon Dustin Crowe cbe pc, 1rd Baron Strathclyde
(on behalf of HM Government VIII)
Amended by N/A
First reading 2020 July 26
Royal assent 2020 September 26
Commencement 2020 September 26
Affected legislation N/A

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1 Definition of Chemical Weapons

  1. Chemical Weapons are weapons whose primary effect comes from the use of toxic chemicals as defined by the Chemical Weapons Convention, or made from substances which are classified as Schedule 1 chemicals.
    1. This definition includes those weapons that use toxic chemicals intended to produce a rapid sensory irritation or physical disabling effect.
    2. Tear gas, made from the chemical compounds chloroacetophenone (CN) and chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS), shall be designated as a Chemical Weapon.
    3. Pepper spray, made from the chemical oleoresin capsicum, shall be designated as a Chemical Weapon.

2 The use of Chemical Weapons by Police

  1. The acquisition, possession, and use of substances designated as Chemical Weapons by police forces shall be banned.
    1. This ban includes issuing orders to acquire, deploy, or use substances designated as Chemical Weapons.
    2. A person contravening this section is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.
  2. If a police officer is ordered to use Chemical Weapons they shall have an obligation to disobey that order and report the person who gave the order to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
    1. The jurisdiction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct shall be expanded to cover the entirety of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in matters considering reports and investigations under this act.
    2. A person contravening this section is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a period of no less than ten years.
  3. Existing stockpiles of Chemical Weapons in the possession of police forces shall be transferred to Home Office control no later than 60 days after this Act comes into effect so that they may undergo supervised disposa.

3 The Export of Chemical Weapons

  1. The export of weapons defined as Chemical Weapons under this act shall be banned
  2. A person contravening this section is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a period of no less than twenty years.

4 Short title, commencement and extent

  1. This Act may be cited as the Chemical Weapons Act 2020.
  2. This Act comes into force upon receiving royal assent.
  3. This Act extends to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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