§ 14. Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports have reached him of armed and uniformed bodies undertaking paramilitary training in England or Wales; and what action has been taken.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonThe Chief Constable of Lancashire tells me that nine men have been charged with criminal offences and have been committed for trial.
§ Mr. RedmondWould not it have helped if the hon. Gentleman had paid a tribute to the Lancashire police for the efficient way in which they dealt with this matter once it came to light? In view of what has happened in Lancashire, is not it right that police forces throughout the country should be alerted to what happened in Lancashire and see that it does not happen anywhere else? Can it not be made impossible for us to have private armies training with live ammunition in this country, whether they call themselves "Loyalists", "UDA", "IRA", or whatever?
§ Mr. LyonI think that the police did the job which they always do, and they did it efficiently and well. If the hon. Gentleman had waited a little before expressing concern about the matter, he would have seen that the police do carry out their job in cases of this kind.