HC Deb 14 July 1972 vol 840 cc2163-6

6.1 p.m.

The Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. David Howell)

I beg to move, That the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, a draft of which was laid before this House on 6th July, be approved. Some comment has already been made by the hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Merlyn Rees) about this superannuation order. I hope that it will be sufficient for the House to have an assurance that it is parallel in almost every detail with the superannuation order of 1972 governing pensions for United Kingdom civil servants and other categories of public servants. This order extends that legislation in almost every detail to Northern Ireland civil servants and other categories of Northern Ireland public service and public sector workers.

Mr. Merlyn Rees (Leeds, South)

I have mentioned this matter on another occasion. The order brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the United Kingdom in this respect.

I should like to take this opportunity to praise those public servants—the police, the teachers, the health service staff, local government employees, civil servants and others—who do so much good work in the present troubles in Northern Ireland. Tribute to their work must be paid by those of us who go to Northern Ireland so often but do not have to spend so long there as those who live and work there.

6.2 p.m.

Mr. Stanley R. McMaster (Belfast, East)

I should like to add the gratitude of this side of the House to the public servants covered by the order. I should like briefly especially to mention the police.

Much has been said during our earlier debates about the rôle which the police have played in Northern Ireland, and I concur with the sentiments of many hon. Members. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude not only to the RUC but to the members of the Ulster Special Constabulary, the "B" Specials as they were called. It was a mistake to disband this force, a mistake only now beginning to be appreciated.

In a situation such as that in Northern Ireland there is a need for some form of local militia that knows the ground and is able to deal with the situation properly and skilfully, particularly when it comes to closing roads towards the borders and similar matters, identifying possible terrorists, which, with the best will in the world, it is impossible for the Army to do, even though it employs many more soldiers to cope with the situation.

I hope that the Government will bend their best efforts towards restoring the place of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve. These forces should be used on the streets more and more and should make it their business to patrol areas where law and order have been restored and areas which are now known as the "no-go" areas.

I should like my hon. Friend to assure the House that he is prepared, in consultation with his right hon. Friend, to ensure that where the Royal Ulster Constabulary is being used on guard duties, for instance, those duties will be increasingly taken over by the Army so that the ordinary policeman may be sent out on his beat doing his best to restore justice and law and order to Northern Ireland.

There is much more I would have liked to say if I could have got in earlier, particularly about the special problems in my constituency, the shipyard and the aircraft factory and other industries, which as my hon. Friend said in opening the debate, are suffering from the fact that output in Northern Ireland is falling and there is little alternative employment as a result of the troubles. I pay tribute to the Civil Service in Northern Ireland; the men of the various Departments covered by the order who have given loyal service for many years. I think particularly of the persons in the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce. They have always given most courteous and urgent consideration to matters raised by my hon. Friends and myself on behalf of constituents. It would be wrong to allow this moment to pass without paying tribute to them.

Mr. David Howell

I cannot really comment on the point made about the police, because this order does not cover the police. I should like to echo the words of the hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Merlyn Rees) about the value and work of public service workers and civil servants in Northern Ireland. This order provides the framework for them to get the benefits of the various new schemes, in some cases retrospectively, which have been applied to public service and Civil Service workers in the United Kingdom. I believe that it will be widely welcomed.

Mr. McMaster

Before my hon. Friend sits down may I draw his attention to article 15 which is headed "Police", and which deals with the constabulary?

Mr. Howell

That is certainly so. Some minor changes are made, but the police scheme is left as before. It is not altered by the order.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, a draft of which was laid before this House on 6th July, be approved.

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