§ 9. Sir Irvine PatnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland. [7324]
§ Sir John WheelerThe loyalist ceasefire remains in place, which I very much welcome. The level of threat from the Provisional IRA remains high. The vigilance of the security forces on both sides of the border has foiled a number of recent terrorist attacks. In the past month, more than 50 people have been charged with terrorist-related offences, including murder and attempted murder, and a significant amount of weaponry has been recovered.
§ Sir Irvine PatnickI thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. What is the cost of all that? What is the cost of it in Northern Ireland? What is the knock-on cost for the mainland?
§ Sir John WheelerThe costs to the United Kingdom taxpayer are huge. In Northern Ireland, the average cost of a punishment attack is about £9,000—money that would go to the health service in Northern Ireland were it not being used to deal with the consequences of such a crime. About £3 million has been spent so far this year as a consequence of punishment attacks. Nearly £800,000 has been paid out on claims for arson against the destruction of churches in Northern Ireland. The costs are huge and are continuing to rise.