Security (Hansard, 10 January 1985)

§ 2. Mr. Molyneaux
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

§ 7. Mr. Proctor
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Northern Ireland.

§ 13. Sir John Farr
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation.

§ Mr. Hurd
Since I last answered questions in the House on 29 November one soldier and five civilians have died in incidents arising from the security situation in the Province. The security forces continue energetically to combat terrorism. During 1984, a total of 528 people were charged with serious offences, including 41 with murder and 68 with attempted murder, and 197 weapons, 27,211 rounds of ammunition and 8,535 lb of explosives were recovered. I know that the House will join with me in paying tribute to the efforts of the security forces.

§ Mr. Molyneaux
What value can be attached to the Dublin Government's promises of co-operation when their Foreign Minister, Mr. Barry, consistently seeks to undermine and render ineffective measures taken by Her Majesty's Government to prevent terrorism? Does it not look as though Mr. Barry has assumed the role of protector of all people of Irish descent now living and working in England?

§ Mr. Hurd
I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman has read the same reports of Mr Barry's remarks as I have. I have the impression that, under questioning, he measured his words with a good deal of care, and has been quite strongly criticised at home as a result.

§ Mr. Proctor
Is it not intolerable that the Irish Foreign Secretary should have interfered in measures taken in Liverpool and elsewhere to safeguard the lives of our citizens, and does this not put at risk, and is it not a contradiction of, the professed claims of Dublin to want to improve Anglo-Irish relations?

§ Mr. Hurd
Again I am in a difficulty. My information is that although Mr. Barry was pressed hard to comment in the sense that my hon. Friend describes, he refrained from doing so.

§ Sir John Farr
As the new Maghaberry prison, with more than 500 individual cells, will be opening later this year, and as the prison service in Northern Ireland is staffed at a rate of over three warders to one prisoner, will my right hon. Friend, in the ensuing months, consider the opportunity that is offered of abolishing the special category status there?

§ Mr. Hurd
My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the importance of the opening of the new prison. A number of related decisions have to be taken, and in considering what they should be I shall cover the point made by my hon. Friend. I have not yet taken any decisions, and some press accounts of this are therefore speculative at this stage.

§ Mr. Maginnis
Will the right hon. Gentleman agree to look at the extent to which funds are made available for the protection of off-duty members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in their homes, and will he ensure that the same amount of money is available for them as is available for members of the RUC and the RUC reserve?

§ Mr. Hurd
I am willing to look at this matter. The problem of protecting UDR part-time members when they 887 are at home is an important one which I have discussed with the hon. Gentleman more than once. We are doing everything that we can.

§ Mr. Allan Roberts
Does the Secretary of State agree that security in Northern Ireland is not helped if those who are charged with conspiracy after being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are not brought to trial quickly but are remanded indefinitely, or when the Act is used to arrest people for no other reason than that they are Irish and drunk? If one cannot be drunk on Christmas Eve in Liverpool, where can one be drunk?

§ Mr. Hurd
The administration of the Prevention of Terrorism Act on this side of the water is not my responsibility. I have been surprised at the speed with which people on both sides of the water have rushed in to comment on recent events before they know what has happened or what charges are being made. A little prudence from the hon. Gentleman would be advisable.

§ Rev Ian Paisley
Has there been any change in the Government's policy of granting personal protection weapons to those members of the UDR, the RUC and the police reserves who have finished their term of service, as there has been difficulty in individual cases, to which I have referred in letters? Will the right hon. Gentleman make a statement today on the bombing in Newry?

§ Mr. Hurd
On the hon. Gentleman's second point, I have just had reports about the bombing in Newry, which has caused a great deal of damage in commercial premises, although no one has been seriously injured. However, I do not have the full details. On the hon. Gentleman's first point, there has been no change of policy, and he will understand that these are difficult decisions. I am sure that he will continue to draw specific examples to our attention.

§ Mr. Bell
On the question of security in Northern Ireland, and the consequential emergency provisions, does the Secretary of State recall the interesting and objective debate in the House on the Baker report? A number of recommendations were made during that debate and the Government showed their firm intention of acting on some of them. Does the Secretary of State intend to publish his proposals in a White Paper, and if so, will he append to the White Paper the various written submissions such as those made by the standing advisory commission on human rights in Belfast, he has received since the Baker report was published?

§ Mr. Hurd
We had a good debate just before Christmas on the Baker report. I am still digesting that debate and moving towards decisions on what changes in legislation we would recommend to the House. Let me include in that digestive process the hon. Gentleman's suggestion about a White Paper and its impact.