HC Deb 14 February 1984 vol 54 cc113-4
5. Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on recent operational successes by Her Majesty's forces in Northern Ireland in anti-terrorist activity, in support of the civil power and in conjunction with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Mr. Geoffrey Pattie)

Her Majesty's forces continue to play a vital part in helping the Royal Ulster Constabulary to enforce the rule of law and bring to justice those responsible for terrorist crime in Northern Ireland. In the period from 1 December 1983 to 6 February 1984 the Army and RUC acting jointly recovered 41 guns, some 6,000 rounds of ammunition and 426 kg of explosives. A further 321 kg of explosives were neutralised by Army specialists. Two terrorists were killed when attempting to shoot at soldiers, and over 100 people were arrested during the period and charged with terrorist crimes.

Mr. Latham

Is my hon. Friend aware that, because the troubles have been going on for so long in Northern Ireland, there is always a danger that our service men in the Province will be forgotten back here on the mainland? Will he ensure that morale-boosting visits by, for example, the Royal Family, the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State for Defence are a regular occurrence?

Mr. Pattie

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend that it is most important that the morale-boosting visits, as he describes them, should continue, and I see no reason to doubt that that will be the case.

Mr. Maginnis

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that successes can be achieved only if our troops are properly deployed? Is he aware that our troops are deployed in small numbers along the frontier and are not being successful in stopping the movement of arms and explosives to terrorists acting within the Province?

Mr. Pattie

The figures that I gave in my main answer show that there is quite considerable success in the present deployment. The matters which the hon. Gentleman describes are for consideration jointly by the GOC and RUC.

Mr. Bill Walker

Does my hon. Friend agree that the operational success of our forces in Northern Ireland is not dissimilar from that of our forces on the Falkland Islands? If the cost of defending freedom in Northern Ireland was right, is right and will continue to be right, is it not also right on the Falklands?

Mr. Pattie

I am sure that I would wish to agree with what my hon. Friend says.

Mr. McNamara

Does the Minister share the concern of the Opposition, which I believe is shared by many in the country, about the involvement of members of the UDR from Drumadd barracks in various scheduled offences and the fact that they are now charged with them? Is his Department pursuing an inquiry into why so many of those involved in that type of offence should have come from one barracks in the six counties? Secondly, is his Department considering the rules and regulations and the rigorousness of the procedure for taking on new recruits in the UDR, so as to prevent such incidents in future?

Mr. J. Enoch Powell

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Were not the remarks of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) in breach of the sub judice rule?

Mr. Speaker

That is the case.

Mr. McNamara

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. With respect, I was careful to phrase my remarks in such a way as not to impugn any motive, but merely to ask whether it was a cause for concern that people should be charged with offences on that basis.

Mr. Speaker

Perhaps the Minister will bear that in mind when he replies.

Mr. Pattie

I shall indeed, Mr. Speaker. I shall confine myself to answering the first part of the supplementary question of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara). There is no question of the Ministry of Defence instituting an inquiry, especially in the light of the sub judice requirements. I remind the House that the UDR has carried out its task with the utmost bravery, integrity and dedication over the past 13 years, and in that time 139 of its members have been callously murdered.