Royal Ulster Constabulary (Hansard, 23 October 1975)

§ 5. Mr. Powell
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the net increase in strength of the RUC and RUC Reserve, respectively, in the first three quarters of this year compared with the same three quarters of 1974.

§ Mr. Merlyn Rees
In the first nine months of 1975 the strength of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve increased by 195 and 1,034 respectively. The corresponding increases in 1974 were 100 and 156.

§ Mr. Powell
Does the Secretary of State not take limited encouragement from the improvement which these figures show? Wil he nevertheless not rest satisfied with the present rate, and use every method to increase it, especially a more rapid processing of applications to join the RUC, within the limits of what is necessary for security and efficiency?

§ Mr. Rees
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. It is a limited success. The numbers are very good. The right hon. Gentleman will have noticed that there is a very good advertising campaign in the newspapers of Northern Ireland. I am not saying that there is a great pool of people waiting to join the RUC, but our success rate in Northern Ireland is better than in other parts of the United Kingdom.
698 It sometimes causes trouble if we talk of the withdrawal of soldiers, but I should be very happy to see fewer soldiers in Northern Ireland and an increased police force, because that would be a measure of success. That is what I want to see. We shall do all we can to speed the processing of applications.

§ Mr. McCusker
Bearing in mind the importance of achieving in the RUC a proper balance representing the communities in Northern Ireland, will the Secretary of State say what assistance he is getting from the representatives of the minority, elected and otherwise, to encourage members of the Roman Catholic community to join the RUC?

§ Mr. Rees
I have had brought to my notice by an hon. Member a letter in a newspaper the other night from a member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party. Much as I appreciate letters and overt calls to support the police, I have also been very heartened to be told increasingly by people of the growing support for the police. The image—not the best word to use—is changing. It is a new police force. Half of the force has come in only in the past two years. There is a change taking place. I do not mean that success will come by tomorrow, but I am heartened at this change. All sides of the community are increasingly supporting the RUC.

§ Mr. Neave
I join in the tribute that the Secretary of State has paid to the excellent results obtained by the RUC, but will the Secretary of State confirm words that he has previously used, that policing is vital to the future of Northern Ireland? Is he aware that we on the Conservative benches are pleased to hear that progress has been made in getting more public and political support for the RUC? Will he give further details than he has so far about progress towards getting the RUC into areas of lawlessness?

§ Mr. Rees
I am grateful for the hon. Member's support on the point that it is vital to have more policing. In walking around a hard area the other afternoon I saw it in a different light—but it is not a matter of putting a vanload of police here or there, or talking of being in a particular area, and of what a good job has been done. The important thing is acceptance in the area, and I am sure 699 that this can be achieved only slowly. It will have to be done against the complete opposition of the Provisional IRA and other groups. I should add that it has been brought to my notice that in one so-called hard Loyalist area the police have not been well received either, but it is of a rather different historical nature. It is a slow job. It goes with political advance. We shall have to see what happens in the long run.

§ 6. Mr. McCusker
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the strength and utilisation of the RUC reserve.

§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. Roland Moyle)
Since the announcement in September 1974 about the expansion of the RUC Reserve, the strength has increased from 2,614 to 4,894. This is encouraging, and I hope that the momentum will continue. Operational control is a matter for the Chief Constable but I have no reason to suppose that the Reserve is not being used to best advantage.

§ Mr. McCusker
Bearing in mind the comments of the Secretary of State about the importance of the RUC and the RUC Reserve, is the Minister aware that in many police stations in my constituency the Reserve is totally inadequately equipped, not only in weaponry but in transportation and communications, to play a real part in the general security situation? If I give him a list of these police stations will he take action to redress that balance?

§ Mr. Moyle
I am certainly willing to look at a list of stations and an alleged list of deficiencies. However, operational control is a matter for the Chief Constable. He can ask for equipment, and it will be provided.

§ Mr. Kilfedder
Does the Minister agree that the morale of the Reserve and the RUC itself would be enhanced by the retention of Sir Jamie Flanagan, the first Roman Catholic chief constable? Although I appreciate that the Secretary of State cannot direct the police authority to keep Sir Jamie, will the Minister indicate to the police authority that it would be desirable to retain the services of a man who has won the support and respect of all sections of the community and the confidence of the police force?

§ Mr. Moyle
We are aware that Sir Jamie Flanagan has won the confidence of the police and the community generally. He has been an effective chief constable. I am happy to pay tribute to him. However, the appointment of a chief constable is a matter for the police authority, which is jealous of its functions, and rightly so.

§ Mr. McNamara
Is my hon. Friend aware that we are fed up with people being referred to as Catholic policemen, Protestant policemen, Catholic soldiers, and Protestant soldiers, and that we want policemen who carry out impartial law and are not regarded as the tool of politicians, of whatever party?

§ Mr. Moyle
I am sure that the police authority will take cognisance of my hon. Friend's remarks. All my remarks about Sir Jamie Flanagan were in the context that he was a good policeman.

§ Mr. Marten
Did the Minister notice, in the Belfast newspapers yesterday, an appeal by Councillor Donnelly that Catholics should join the RUC? As Councillor Donnelly is a member of the SDLP, would it not be a good idea if a few more leaders of that organisation made similar appeals?

§ Mr. Moyle
I noted and read the article. I am pleased to have expressions of support for the RUC from all sections of the community.

§ Mr. Fitt
Does my hon. Friend recognise the crucial importance of having a police force or police service in Northern Ireland every member of which has the confidence of the community? Will he accept that the present chief constable in Northern Ireland has the full support of that community, right across the political and religious divide?

§ Mr. Moyle
I am sure that the police authority will take note of those remarks.

§ 7. Mr. Beith
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, following the announcement by his right honourable Friend the Home Secretary of proposals for an independent element in the procedure for complaints against the police, he will announce proposals in respect of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

§ Mr. Moyle
The Northern Ireland working party on procedures for investigating complaints against the police is 701 expected to report in the near future, and when my right hon. Friend has had an opportunity to study its proposals he will, no doubt, make a statement.

§ Mr. Beith
Will the Minister tell the House whether the working party has received oral submissions of evidence, whether it is still open to receive submissions of evidence, or whether it is, as his remarks suggest, almost at the point of writing its report? In view of the importance that has already been attached, in Question Time today, to restoring confidence in the police, does the Government recognise, as the Gardiner Report recognised, the importance of taking serious and drastic measures to provide an adequate complaints procedure?

§ Mr. Hoyle
I shall deal with the last point first. We recognise the importance of an independent element in a complaints procedure in Northern Ireland, so that complaints are properly considered. When the working party was set up in January 1974 it advertised for written evidence. A number of submissions were received. I understand that no request was received to give oral evidence. I have no doubt that the working party will be prepared to receive evidence at any stage before it completes its report, although this is a matter for the working party.