HC Deb 25 March 1982 vol 20 cc1080-1
11. Mr. J. Enoch Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in bringing to justice those responsible for the murder of the late Rev. Robert Bradford.

Mr. Prior

Extensive police inquiries are continuing into the murders of the Rev. Robert Bradford and Mr. Campbell, who was killed with him. No one has been charged so far. The Royal Ulster Constabulary will continue its investigations until the guilty are brought to justice and punished.

Mr. Powell

Why did the Secretary of State, on the day after Robert Bradford's funeral, use in the presence of my hon. Friend the Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Molyneux), and others, the words: "We were not expecting Robert Bradford to be murdered"? Who were they expecting would be murdered, and will the Secretary of State invite his officials to explain to him what he meant?

Mr. Prior

I do not need officials to explain to me what I meant. What I meant was what I said. I stick to that.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

Trying, perhaps, to defuse a difficult situation—[Interruption.]— I understand the view expressed by the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell). May I ask my right hon. Friend how Robert Bradford, who was a personal friend of many of us in the House, was murdered? Is it not right that people in the situation of the late Robert Bradford should receive more adequate security cover because of their sensitive position? Will my right hon. Friend assure us that hon. Members who represent Northern Ireland constituencies are adequately protected so that they can carry out their difficult job as Members of Parliament representing the people of Ulster?

Mr. Prior

I am always grateful to my hon. Friend if he feels that he can defuse any situation. That is an unlikely role for him to adopt. Robert Bradford was receiving protection. It is a difficult matter ever to decide what is adequate protection. Those are the real difficulties from which we all suffer. One cannot even stop President Reagan, who is surrounded by vast numbers of people, from being the victim of an assassin's bullet. We are taking all the precautions that we can. We try to give all the help that we can to those whom we think are in any danger, and we shall continue to do so. The system is not perfect. There is always room for improvement. I believe that the RUC does a remarkable job and is a remarkable police force. Nothing that has been said should in any way detract from the marvellous work that it is doing.

Rev. Ian Paisley

Will the Secretary of State note that the people of Northern Ireland will be alarmed by his statement today at the Dispatch Box that he was not aware of the serious threat to the life of the late Rev. Robert Bradford?

Hon. Members

He did not say that.

Rev. Ian Paisley

Perhaps he will explain what he did say. I gather that he said that he was not expecting it. Is it not a fact that the Special Branch had visited the late Mr. Bradford a few days before he was killed and warned him that he was on a death list?

Mr. Prior

These matters are not easy to discuss across the Floor of the House, and are best not discussed. All I said was—and I repeat it now—that at that time we were going through a difficult and worrying period. We may go through such periods again. Certain information is received about certain people, while other information which we might like to receive we do not receive. At that time, although we were very worried about a number of VIPs, there was no more concern about Robert Bradford than there was about a number of others. I repeat that he was having protection. He did have protection at that time. Like all VIPs in Northern Ireland, he had been warned, as other are today, day in and day out, about the dangers. All that I regret, and I regret it bitterly, is that the murder took place. We all know how much we have suffered as a result of that.