NORTHERN IRELAND (Hansard, 28 November 1973)

§ Mr. McMaster
I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, unde. Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, last night's violence in Northern Ireland and the assassinations, bombings and hijackings being pursued at this moment by the IRA in Northern Ireland". I shall address you briefly, Mr. Speaker, first of all on the importance of this matter. After a period of comparative calm in Northern Ireland, since the announcement of the formation of the new Executive last Thursday there has been a period of unprecedented violence in Northern Ireland. At the weekend there were two serious attacks across the Northern Ireland border from the Republic of Ireland by rocket on RUC stations. Three of Her Majesty's soldiers were deliberately assassinated in Northern Ireland at the weekend and two civilians were killed. There were serious attacks on the homes of two public figures in Northern Ireland—one Mr. Austin Currie, who is one of the 11 members of the new Executive, and the other no less a person than the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland who at the weekend had two bombs placed at his house, one of which exploded in the middle of the night.
There were other attacks and armed robberies, houses burned and many persons seriously injured. This violence culminated last night in many vehicles being hijacked in Northern Ireland. Many hundreds of private cars, lorries and even public transport vehicles were hijacked and placed across 45 to 50 roads, which were blocked. I am informed that 25 of these roads in Northern Ireland are still blocked. Three civilians were killed last night and one 408 member of the UDR was deliberately attacked and seriously injured.
There is undoubtedly a responsibility in this House, and I am sorry to see Members of this House paying so little attention—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. That is not the sort of comment the hon. Gentleman should make in putting forward his application.

§ Mr. McMaster
I am attempting to establish the fact that this is a matter which concerns this House. Responsibility for law and order was removed from Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The only point that is relevant so far as I am concerned is whether I should interfere with the business of the House today or tomorrow by allowing this debate to take place. That is the point.

§ Mr. McMaster
I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, I am now addressing you under Standing Order No. 9 and paragraph (4) of that provision says that In determining whether a matter is proper to be discussed Mr. Speaker shall have regard to the extent to which it concerns the administrative responsibility of Ministers … I was attempting to address you, Sir, on the administrative responsibility of Ministers. I urge you to consider this matter and to take into consideration the fact that this House and this House alone—not the new Assembly in Northern Ireland—has the responsibility.
On the urgency of the matter, I wish to emphasise that there is a definite fear in Northern Ireland of retaliation. In the past six months there have unfortunately been some regrettable incidents in which the loyalist population of Northern Ireland has felt aggrieved that serious matters are not receiving proper ventilation in this House and are not being properly brought to the attention of Ministers and that those Ministers are not taking appropriate action. I believe that it is very urgent that such matters should be brought to the attention of the House. It is the duty of Ministers to maintain law and order. The Queen's highway is being blocked—

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman is going on much too long. He should be 409 making a brief application. His remarks are an abuse of the Standing Order and of the conventions of the House.

§ Mr. McMaster
I apologise, Mr. Speaker. I had not intended to raise this matter since I expected a statement to be made either on Monday on today about these incidents. Unfortunately no statement has been made. You will recall, Sir, that there was an application just 10 days ago when there was an explosion in Birmingham and when three people were killed.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I cannot let the hon. Gentleman continue. He must conclude his remarks in a sentence or two.

§ Mr. McMaster
I conclude by saying that unless there are to be two standards in the United Kingdom when there are incidents, one for Northern Ireland and one for the rest of the United Kingdom, there should be an urgent debate on these serious incidents of the past three or four days in Northern Ireland. The violence is quite intolerable.

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. McMaster) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely last night's violence in Northern Ireland and the assassinations, bombings and hijacking being pursued at this moment by the IRA in Northern Ireland". The way in which the hon. Member put forward his application really is an abuse of the conventions of the House. I am fully aware of the seriousness of the matter which he raises. There are tragic incidents happening all the time. As to whether the House should debate the matter, there are ways whether in Government or Opposition time—and indeed other ways—in which these matters can be raised. I have simply to make a proceduraly decision whether to allow business today or tomorrow to be interrupted so that the hon. Member's application shall have precedence.
My decision is a procedural one and I have no doubt that the hon. Gentleman will seek all the other ways open to him to raise these important matters, but under Standing Order No. 9 I am afraid that I cannot grant his application.