Thousands more police officers will be equipped to deal with chemical, biological or nuclear terror attacks under Government plans to buy new protective suits.
The Home Office has put out to tender a contract to provide it with 12,000 personal protection suits in the event of a dirty bomb attack.
The new, high-tech suits will be used over the next few years to replace the 7,000 currently in use, and to make available an extra 5,000 to existing police officers.
A Home Office spokesman said: "We constantly look at what our needs are to ensure that we have the resources we need to maintain public safety, which is our priority."
He emphasised that police officers who used the suits in the event of a dirty bomb attack were normal police officers with extra training and that 12,000 suits did not equate to 12,000 dedicated chemical, biological or nuclear terror attack officers.
The contract is being advertised on the Official Journal of the European Union website.
A Home Office spokesman said the personal protective suits would be for officers across the UK.
