§ 2.47 p.m.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask Her Majesty's Government the Question of which I have given them Private Notice, namely:
"To ask whether they will make a Statement regarding yesterday's outbreak of bombing in London and in Northern Ireland."
§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Shepherd)My Lords, since Sunday there have been 17 terrorist explosions in various parts of Northern Ireland—5 in Belfast, 1 in Londonderry and 11 in Counties Tyrone and Armagh. They appeared to be directed against property and against the police.
I regret that 5 people were injured in these explosions, including 3 policemen. Two of these policemen suffered extremely serious injuries and I extend my sympathy—and, I am sure, that of the whole House—to the injured and their families.
My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has condemned these acts: he has also made it clear that the Security Forces will respond to the level of violence which occurs.
Accordingly, further measures to protect life and property have been implemented in areas particularly affected by the recent attacks. Further measures are being taken today, which include selective screening and more vehicle checks. There will be an increased Security Forces presence in particular areas. The Secretary of State has asked anyone who may have information relating to these incidents, however apparently unimportant, to come forward with it.
So far as London is concerned, about 9.15 last night a bomb exploded outside the Portman Hotel. Three people were slightly hurt. No warning was given and there is no firm information about who did it.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for taking on the burden of this Question in the unavoidable absence of his noble friend, and join with him in the expression of sympathy for the cruel and appalling injuries suffered by the police officers to whom he referred. I should like to ask him one or two supplementary questions, and the first is this. The noble Lord will have seen, before the reports of these outrages, that one of the newspapers—I think the Evening News—was yesterday carrying a report that the IRA in Dublin had decided at its so-called Army Council to renew a limited offensive against the innocent. Does the 166 noble Lord have in his possession any information which corroborates that, in connection with yesterday's bombings?
Secondly, my Lords—and I will understand completely if the noble Lord undertakes only to pass it on to his noble friends—have the Government noticed the criticism which has been coming not only from the Right, but also, for instance, from Mr. Paddy Devlin of the SDLP, that the Government have not been giving adequate support to the elected representatives of Northern Ireland, and have thereby encouraged para-military groups on both sides? Will the noble Lord hear in mind that these views are widely held in responsible quarters in Belfast and elsewhere? Will he also bear in mind that when this Party was in Office we kept the Labour Party very fully informed and very much in our confidence? If, as I am sure he does—and I certainly do—he wants the bipartisan policy to continue, will the noble Lord see to it that the Government give us a little more in the way of information than they have done hitherto?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, with regard to the question whether there is a renewed offensive by the IRA, it is not possible to give an answer. The ceasefire was one declared by the IRA itself. Therefore, we have no knowledge whether they have broken it, or intend to break it. With regard to the criticism about adequate support to Parliamentarians in Northern Ireland, I can only say from my knowledge and experience that such criticism is completely and utterly unjustified.
With reference to the third supplementary question, I hope that no impression will be created by what the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, said that there has been a withholding of information, or in any way a change in relationships between the Government and the Opposition about Northern Ireland. Her Majesty's Government attach supreme importance to the maintenance of a bipartisan policy, upon which depends the strength and determination of our Security Forces in Northern Ireland for dealing with the situation there, and also the attacks that have been made within the United Kingdom. We need full support in this matter. I should have thought the noble and 167 learned Lord would have known that his honourable friend Mr. Airey Neave saw the Secretary of State, either at the beginning of this week, or last week. Knowing the relationships which exist in Parliament, I cannot believe that if Members of the Opposition wished at any time to see the Secretary of State, he would not make himself available.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, would the noble Lord the Leader of the House give the House an assurance that there are, and have been recently, no orders given to the Army, such as to keep a low profile; or no orders given not to go into certain areas, which would make very difficult the task of the Army in preventing these explosions, or in bringing the perpetrators to justice?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, the position is as it has been for many months. It was the hope of Her Majesty's Government that if there was a reduction and a sustained cessation of violence in Northern Ireland, it would be possible to reduce the number of troops, and to keep, shall we say, a lower profile in the civilian areas. But, quite clearly, if violence increases the Government must respond, as they have responded during the last few days in dealing with this more recent increase in violence towards property, and in particular against the police.
§ Lord MAYBRAY-KINGMy Lords, is the noble Lord the Leader of the House aware that if our bipartisan policy breaks down in Northern Ireland, the sufferers will be not Britain but the people of Northern Ireland? Is the noble Lord further aware that all of us in this House wish to pay tribute to our serving men in Northern Ireland, for all that they do under tremendous provocation in trying to maintain the peace there?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am sure the whole House will agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Maybray-King, has said. I would add only that although it may be true that the main burden has fallen upon the people of Northern Ireland, it also has an effect within our country, not only on the question of bombing but in our general attitude. So it is a matter from which we cannot in any way absolve ourselves. We should 168 be deeply concerned about the suffering in Northern Ireland. We should always maintain our full support to the Forces who are seeking to maintain law and order in Northern Ireland.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, may I revert for a moment to the second part of my supplementary question? I am not in the least reproaching personally the noble Lord the Leader of the House, but will he not appreciate that I deliberately told him this because I am in a position to know the feeling in my own Party about this—and not merely on the Back Benches, either. We are very strongly of the opinion that we have not been taken into confidence to the extent that Mr.William Whitelaw took the Labour leaders when he was in Office.
Will the noble Lord also bear in mind that, so far as concerns the criticism relating to the elected representatives that I am putting, I was not so much referring to the Ulster Members of Parliament at Westminster; I was also referring to the elected Convention Members. There is a wide feeling of resentment among the elected Members on both sides of the community divide, and those who might be expected to go beyond it, that they have had their position undermined by not having been given the authority which the fact of their election ought to entitle them to expect.
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, this is a matter which we shall have an opportunity to debate on Thursday, but I do not think it should be left unanswered today. The elected Members have been seeking within the Convention for a new system for the Government of Northern Ireland, and naturally we are awaiting their report with very great anxiety. If the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hailsham, feels that more could be done between the two sides in maintaining the bipartisan policy and the exchange of information, and that there-has been, shall I say, less than his friends might wish, I would say this to him. It ought to be put right. I will see that it is put right if I can, but I think—and I hope that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hailsham, will understand when I say this—that if he and others felt that that was the position it might have been to better advantage if this approach had 169 been made privately and personally to me, rather than raise it on the Floor of the House.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord the Leader of the House for his assurance. But I cannot agree with his last observation, because I think the time has come to say that there is deep feeling among my noble and my honourable friends that they have not received the consideration which we gave to the other side.
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I can only say that this is the first time I have been aware of this concern. If we are seeking to maintain a bipartisan policy, it is open to all of us to be frank. The noble and learned Lord has made a point. I will see that it is immediately conveyed to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, in order to see what steps can be taken to improve matters. I shall be only too glad to meet him on another occasion.