HC Deb 12 June 1973 vol 857 cc1212-5
Mr. McMaster (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the disturbances in East and West Belfast in the past two days.

The Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. William van Straubenzee)

On Sunday 10th June Protestant gunmen in East Belfast fired 50 rounds at the security forces; the driver of a bus was killed when an Army post came under fire. Seventeen rounds were returned by the security forces, in the course of which a gunman was hit and his weapon, an Armalite rifle, was recovered. Another gunman was also believed injured. Following this, a number of houses were searched, including the Headquarters of the Ulster Defence Association. Four weapons, a home-made mortar and over 500 rounds of ammunition were found. A number of arrests were made.

Yesterday the violence was mainly in the Protestant areas of West Belfast, where automatic fire was directed at troops and police. This followed an afternoon of protests in the Shankill area against the arrest of members of the Ulster Defence Association. The security forces returned fire on seven occasions, and it is believed that four gunmen were hit.

There has been other violence in Belfast during this period, including incidents on Sunday, when four Catholic schoolboys were injured in the Antrim Road by automatic fire from a passing car and a Catholic was fatally shot in the Ballysillan area.

I am sure that the whole House will wish me to condemn these outrages utterly, and to extend its sympathy to the innocent victims and their relatives.

Mr. McMaster

I thank my hon. Friend for that statement. I too deplore the violence of the past two days, and particularly the death of the bus driver, Samuel Rush, and extend my sympathy to his relatives and friends.

Will Her Majesty's Government do all in their power to bring this campaign of violence, murder and intimidation to an end? Is my hon. Friend aware of the great insecurity and fear felt by the ordinary citizens of Northern Ireland as a result of the IRA's continuous campaign of terror and violence over the past four years? Will the Government do all they can to root out the terrorists, to declare the IRA an illegal body and to match the IRA's propaganda campaign throughout the world? People of all religions in Northern Ireland are suffering a great feeling of insecurity as a result of the war that is being waged against them by those who wish to impose by force their Republican aims on the people of Northern Ireland.

Mr. van Straubenzee

My hon. Friend's question referred to the violence of the last two days. I answered, and I fear that I must repeat, that that violence was unquestionably from the Protestant community in Northern Ireland. What must be said quite clearly is that from the point of view of both the Government and the security forces law and order will be enforced in Northern Ireland no matter who seeks to break the law.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Is the Minister aware that we on this side add our sympathy to the relatives of those who have been murdered in the past few days? Is he aware that it is vital that the Assembly elections, which are an important part of the Government's political approach which has had general support in the House, should not be sabotaged by gunmen? We emphasise from this side what the Minister has said, that from whatever part of the community in Northern Ireland the violence comes—Protestant or Catholic, majority or minority—it is vital that it be dealt with. Accordingly, we on this side give our firm support to the security forces in their efforts to deal with it.

We also welcome the straight talking—perhaps this is the first time it has come from some people in the Protestant community—against those in their own community who have acted in this way. We agree with the Minister that until the gunmen are defeated the due processes of law and order and democracy will not be able to be fully followed in Northern Ireland.

Mr. van Straubenzee

I entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman that the course upon which the vast majority of people of both communities in Northern Ireland are set, that of showing that they place far greater reliance on the ballot box than on the bullet, is one of the encouraging features of the present situation, and that this is well shown by the dignified conduct of, and very ample response to, the local government elections, which passed off virtually without incident. Every proper and possible step will be taken to ensure that the Assembly elections are conducted in the same way.

Like the hon. Gentleman, I welcome all those on both sides, particularly those on the Protestant side, who have been the first in regard to this incident to condemn in the strongest terms the actions of a small and unrepresentative minority.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

In view of yesterday's Press reports that our troops, who are so courageously defending the peace against those from different quarters who disturb it, have been denied protective clothing of a kind which is considered effective and which is used by the police, can my hon. Friend give the House some reassurance on the matter?

Mr. van Straubenzee

With no discourtesy to my hon. Friend, I must reply that I am sure that he will understand that questions about the equipment of the troops are for my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence. My personal observation is that the troops have very effective equipment for dealing with the situations which, I quite agree, they do with the greatest distinction.

Mr. Duffy

Is the Minister aware that last night's attack was at least the third such attack on the Army by the UDA this year? How many such concerted attacks by the UDA are to be tolerated before it is proscribed along with other organisations?

Mr. van Straubenzee

The proscription of any organisation in Northern Ireland is a matter which is constantly under review. The advantages and disadvantages of so doing are weighed up constantly. However, what needs to be said more than anything else is that it matters not whether a man, a woman or a young person in Northern Ireland is a member of a proscribed or non-proscribed organisation; they are, like everybody else, subject to the law, which will be enforced.