HC Deb 28 November 1974 vol 882 cc613-4
15. Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the level of security in all departments at the offices of the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Crown Buildings, Asylum Road, Londonderry.

Mr. Moyle

Bearing in mind the inherent difficulties of security in a building which is open to the public, I am satisfied that all reasonable measures have been taken, or are in hand, in order to protect the building and its occupants.

Mr. Ross

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I received a note from this building some time ago, which states: Anything the Government can do, the Provos can do better. D.T.B. This was written on a pad of the Ministry of Health and Social Services and has stamped on it: Ministry of Health and Social Services, Crown Buildings, Asylum Road, Londonderry. Neither the pad nor the stamp is available to the general public. Does the hon. Gentleman realise that in those circumstances grave concern is felt by my constituents over the apparent ease with which supporters of the IRA have penetrated the offices of this building?

Mr. Moyle

I assume that the hon. Gentleman has handed the package to the local RUC to enable it to prosecute its investigations. I am grateful to him for drawing my attention to the point. The ingenuity of letter bombers and people of that sort is often considerable. We must watch them closely. I shall look into the matter and pursue it further.

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