Security (Hansard, 8 December 1983)

§ 9. Sir John Biggs-Davison
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what improvements have recently been made in the security of the Province, particularly near the border.

§ 10. Mr. Maginnis
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has ensured that the recent reinforcement of the security forces along the frontier with the Irish Republic is not limited to the area he has described as the Dundalk corridor.

§ 14. Mr. Nicholson
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with security in South Armagh, since the atrocity at Mountain Lodge Pentecostal hall.

§ Mr. Prior
Security force operations and the deployment of policemen and soldiers are essentially matters for the professional judgment of the security force commanders. I am, however, in regular contact with the Chief Constable and the GOC, and am satisfied that the level of security operations along the border takes full account of the situation in that area. A Deputy Chief Constable has assumed direct responsibility for border security and an additional Assistant Chief Constable has been appointed to assist him. Additional troops have been deployed in the area to assist the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

§ Sir John Biggs-Davison
Is not co-operation from the Republic all important? Has there been a lessening of the security effort from south of the border? Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that there are now good relations between the RUC and the Garda Siochana?

§ Mr. Prior
Yes, Sir. Security co-operation is essential from the point of the view of both the North and the Republic. Relations between the RUC and the Garda Siochana are good. I have no reason to believe that, despite newspaper reports to the contrary, there has been any lack of co-operative effort between the North and the South. All I can say is that I believe, as does the South, that it can always be subject to improvement.

§ Mr. Maginnis
Does the Secretary of State accept that five members of the RUC on duty in 100 sq miles close to the frontier in my constituency, after 12 o'clock at night, does not show that the security advice is as good as he asserts it is?

§ Mr. Prior
These matters are essentially for the Chief Constable and the security operations. Of course I shall consider any particular point that the hon. Gentleman raises, but I hope that in turn he will raise the matter with the Deputy Chief Constable, who has been appointed with special responsibilities for these matters.

§ Mr. Nicholson
The security situation in my constituency is most serious, to say the least, with the murder of my friend and colleague, the chairman of Armagh district council, Mr. Charles Armstrong, and other murders of friends and neighbours at the Mountain Lodge pentecostal hall. Will the Secretary of State assure the House and my constituents that there will not be a further cosmetic exercise on security but that there will be a more sustained and realistic policy, designed to win rather than to contain?

§ Mr. Prior
The hon. Gentleman's constituency has suffered greatly. I share his feelings over the terrible ordeals from which it has suffered. I assure him that our policy is not only to contain violence. It is to beat violence, but it must be left to the GOC and the Chief Constable to determine the manner in which they conduct those operations.

§ Rev. William McCrea
Does the Secretary of State agree that at present border security is not considered effective? A senior officer of the RUC admitted to a deputation from my party that border security could be more effective. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is about time that we stopped pussy-footing around with the IRA, took it on, and put our security forces on a war footing?

§ Mr. Prior
Our security forces are on an operational footing and everything that can be done will be done. It is all very well for the hon. Gentleman and others to make out that we are only half-hearted or that we are not trying. They should suggest what else we can do that is within the law. It must be within the law.

§ Mr. McNamara
In view of the number of battalions that are now deployed in the UDR, the nature of the recruitment to that regiment of the British Army in Northern Ireland, and in view of recent incidents, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is sufficient screening of potential recruits to those battalions to prevent the occurrence of incidents such as we have read about this week?

§ Mr. Prior
Yes, Sir. I am satisfied that screening is very thorough. It takes some months. I am also satisfied that the Ulster Defence Regiment is performing a magnificent duty in Northern Ireland. It is equally important to recognise that when, as in recent days, alleged offences have been committed, it is probably only in the United Kingdom that such action would be taken as has occurred. It shows the total impartiality and integrity of all that we do to keep law and order in Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Mates
Will my right hon. Friend tell us whether any progress has been made on his offer to the four party leaders to come and talk to him, the GOC and the Chief Constable about security matters? Does he agree that, of all the unreasonable actions that have been taken by various leaders at various times, this is possibly the most unreasonable of all, because it is at just such a meeting that the questions asked, very reasonably, by the hon. Members for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Mr. 458 Maginnis) and for Mid-Ulster (Rev. William McCrea), and other elected representatives to both the Assembly and this House, can get frank and honest answers from the people whose responsibility it is?

§ Mr. Prior
My very sincere attempts were not successful. I had to make it clear that I found the excuses for refusal of three of the four leaders unconvincing, anomalous and incredible. However, it is no good going back over the ground at this time. We have to try to find other ways to achieve the same aim.

§ Mr. Soley
Will the Secretary of State initiate talks with the Dublin Government about the possibility of establishing an all-Ireland court and an all-Ireland police force, which could go a long way to deal with the understandable fears of many people on both sides of the border?

§ Mr. Prior
We must first make certain that our cooperation across the border is the best that can be obtained. I do not want to comment further.