NORTHERN IRELAND ACT 1974 (INTERIM PERIOD EXTENSION) ORDER 1977 (Hansard, 7 July 1977)

§ The MINISTER of STATE, NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE (Lord Melchett)
My Lords. I beg to move that the Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension Order) 1977 be approved. In speaking to this order, I should like also to refer to the Northern Ireland (Various Emergency Provisions) (Continuance) Order 1977, which I will be moving immediately after this one. These two orders are closely linked and I hope that it will be for the convenience of the House if we discuss them together, and I then plan to move the second order formally.
The first order deals with direct rule. Under the Northern Ireland Act 1974, the arrangements for direct rule are renewable for a maximum of one year at a time, and the present legislation expires this month. In the present circumstances in Northern Ireland, the Government believe that there is no alternative to direct rule, and I am therefore seeking the approval of the House today to an order which will extend the statutory basis for direct rule for a further year from 16th July. The second order is concerned with security matters.
Although there has been some welcome improvement in recent months, the emergency in Northern Ireland continues and it is therefore necessary to renew for a further six months, from 24th July, the various emergency provisions under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1973, the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1975 and the Northern Ireland (Young Persons) Act 1974.
I think I should emphasise that direct rule is not the Government's preferred form of government for Northern Ireland. Our aim remains the establishment of a form of devolved legislative government which will command widespread acceptance among all the people of Northern Ireland; but until this can be achieved there is no alternative to direct rule. I think it would be fair to say that direct rule is providing stability; this is helpful, hut stability is no substitute for a final constitutional settlement.
506 During the period of direct rule, Government policy in Northern Ireland has three main facets. They are these: ending the violence; searching for a durable and acceptable constitutional solution; and improving the economy of Northern Ireland. Each of these aims has a degree of dependence upon the others. Recognising the need for movement on all three fronts, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has in recent weeks taken steps to intensify security operations, to encourage Northern Ireland's political leaders to consider whether constitutional progress can be made and to stimulate the economy.
I believe that there has been some welcome progress on the security front, and this view is certainly justified by the available statistics. The Government are far from complacent and I know that all figures must be used with care, but two points stand out. First, the charging and conviction rate is up. Secondly, the level of violence is down. Comparing the first six months of this year with the corresponding period last year, shooting incidents are down from nearly 900 to just over 650, bomb explosions from almost 400 to 228, the weight of explosives used by terrorists from nine tons to less than two, and deaths from 174 to 79. Injuries have been cut by half. Although the overall trend of violence is unquestionably downwards, this is not to say that the Security Forces or the Government are in any way satisfied with the position. But we are confident that our general strategy is the right one.
I must emphasise, as my right honourable friend did in another place last Thursday, that we do not believe blanket measures will help in the present situation. The reintroduction of detention, or indiscriminate search and destroy operations, would produce few practical dividends to offset the alienation of the many innocent people who would experience the inevitable arbitrary and unfair consequences of such policies. Instead of introducing such draconian measures, we will continue to improve our present security policy. My right honourable friend repeated the main points of that policy of intensification in his speech during the renewal debate in another place last week, and I do not intend to repeat all of them today.
507 I turn now to the need to continue direct rule, and to political and constitutional matters. The Government are anxious that there should be no misunderstanding about our constitutional objective in Northern Ireland. This remains the restoration of a devolved legislative Government. The essential criterion for the successful establishment of such a Government is that it should be widely acceptable in Northern Ireland—that is, acceptable to both parts of the community.
At the end of May this year—after the failure of the stoppage called by the United Ulster Action Council and after the district council elections—my right honourable friend held separate meetings with representatives of the official Unionist Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, the Alliance Party and the Democratic Unionist Party to discuss both security and constitutional matters. My right honourable friend told all the political Parties he met that, for his part, he was prepared to consider an interim arrangement which would involve the devolution of real power and responsibility, provided that it was an arrangement which would command widespread support from both parts of the community. Some Parties expressed an interest in continuing the discussion by looking at the possibility of creating some form of administration in Northern Ireland which would fall short of full legislative devolution. The exploration of the possibility of some interim arrangement is continuing, but is still at a very early stage.
To turn briefly to the economy, there is no doubt that economic progress is a vital factor in securing stability in Northern Ireland. The Government's economic policy is directed towards alleviating short-term difficulties, broadening Northern Ireland's industrial base and regenerating many of its existing undertakings for the longer term. We hope shortly to have the benefit of a new Economic Council to help us with this task. It is essential that Northern Ireland should be able to attract new investment in growth industries, and the Government regard it as an important part of their job to attract potential investors to Northern Ireland. Whatever we achieve on the industrial front, Northern Ireland, like the rest of the United Kingdom, faces the 508 particular problem of very high levels of unemployment among young people.
I am particularly pleased, therefore, that we have been able to announce, in the Youth Opportunities Programme, a major new initiative which will increase by 2,000 to over 6,000 the number of training, job experience and employment places, and which will include a major expansion of further education and special courses for young people available for the Department of Education. The aim will be to offer a range of opportunities to those young people who are not able to get a job by conventional means within a few months of leaving school.
The Government believe that in Northern Ireland the last few months have been a time of slow but steady progress in a number of different ways. I repeat that we are certainly not complacent, and we do not believe we know all the answers. But we do believe that our policies are on the right lines and that they deserve support. We are making sustained and determined efforts to end the violence, to promote understanding among Northern Ireland's political leaders and to stimulate the economy. These three strands of our policy have a common theme and purpose. Our determination is to provide for Northern Ireland a stable future in which its people can live in peace. Direct rule is not our preferred position, but so long as it is necessary the Government will not shirk their responsibility to provide Northern Ireland with impartial, responsible and responsive government. In order to discharge that task, we need the legislation which I am asking your Lordships to renew today. My Lords, I beg to move.

Viscount LONG
My Lords, I am sure that we are all most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Melchett, for the way in which he has introduced these two orders, and for giving us so much information both about the economy in Northern Ireland and about security. I feel that it is better if I first say a few brief words on the security angle, because this is what we have all been watching very carefully. There are still certain of these 509 frightful IRA gunmen, who are still shooting with their very fine weapons. Only yesterday two more policemen were shot, and the week before last two young soldiers, a padre and an officer were shot while returning from duty. Therefore, we on these Benches support all that the Government are doing to make sure that the security forces are given the best weapons, and to give encouragement from Westminster, in order to counteract the evils of the IRA, as well as to protect those people who always appear to be caught in the crossfire.
What worried some of us recently was the comment of the RUC on the comparison between its weapons and the high velocity rifles of the IRA. So I would ask the noble Lord whether the RUC have now been supplied with new rifles to counteract the IRA, as well as with the vehicles which they need to enable them to manoeuvre in a hurry, and under protection, around the danger spots. Unless we equip the security forces properly, they will be in difficulty before they even begin to move out of their barracks. So, as I said, we support all that the Government are doing to stop the IRA, and those who mistakenly believe that it is right to try to break down the country.
We also welcome the noble Lord's statement on the economy, and the way in which he and his right honourable friend Mr. Roy Mason are trying their hardest to keep the economy stable. The noble Lord mentioned that the Government want to draw investment into Northern Ireland in order to provide jobs and keep down unemployment, especially among young people. This we welcome, as we do the statement that education has a part to play in getting young people doing a proper job of work, rather than being on the streets, unemployed, and probably falling into the hands of the IRA or those who want them to behave in an indecent way with rifles and bombs.
Having said that, I should like to ask one question about the morale of the security forces in the province of Northern Ireland. Despite all the shootings that are going on, and the losses that they have had, is the morale of the RUC still good and is recruitment satisfactory? As I said, we welcome what the noble Lord has said on these orders, and we look 510 forward to the day when they do not have to be introduced every six months or every year, but can be dispensed with entirely. But until the gunmen have been defeated, I am afraid that we must continue to accept these orders.

§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARY LEBONE
My Lords, may I say a word before the noble Lord replies, which I do not think my noble friend could have said for reasons which will be obvious. The noble Lord who has introduced these measures and who is one of the youngest Members of this House, in the full service of this House, is facing personally an uphill, difficult and intensely complex task. Some of us may be critical of the Secretary of State or the policies pursued, but I wish—and I am sure I speak for the older Members of this House—our young representative in Northern Ireland very great good fortune in the difficult responsibilities he has undertaken so early in his life. We admire the constructive and courageous way in which he is facing them.

§ Lord MELCHETT
My Lords, I am deeply grateful to the noble and learned Lord for what he had to say. I take it as a tribute not only to myself but to my colleagues who are working in Northern Ireland with me, and I will make sure that the tribute is passed on to them. I am very grateful to him. The noble Viscount, Lord Long, asked me some important questions about the position of the security forces, and particularly of the RUC in Northern Ireland. I would say, first, that the noble Viscount is quite right in saying that the RUC have been placed under considerable extra pressure and danger in recent months, and I hope that I can convince the noble Viscount and your Lordships that both the Government and the RUC have responded very well to this increased pressure.
On the equipment front, two problems have arisen, to which attention has been addressed, so far as equipment for the RUC is concerned. The first concerns the acquisition of the M.I carbine by the RUC: and that stemmed, also, from the natural concern which the noble Viscount has expressed that the RUC should have the right weapons for the job they have to do in Northern Ireland. The recom- 511 mendation in favour of the M.1 carbine came from the Chief Constable. The Chief Constable has available to him the resources of the force's research and planning branch, and the Police Authority technical officers, to advise on the range of weapons available and those best suited to the needs of the RUC. There were, unfortunately, some defects in the first consignment of M.1 carbines that were received by the RUC, but these have been resolved in consultation with the American manufacturer. A proportion of that first consignment is now in operational use and the balance is being used for training, Delivery of the main consignment of the new weapons is expected shortly.
The other problem concerns the reports of delays in the supply of armour-plated vehicles for the RUC, which again the noble Viscount mentioned. Most of the components are, of course, obtained through normal commercial channels and some difficulties have occurred. But these were tackled and overcome, and these new vehicles are now coming into service. So I hope the noble Viscount will feel that, on the two points he raised about equipment, action has been taken, and that, while problems were met, they have now been overcome.
The noble Viscount also asked me about the morale of the RUC. I can assure him, both from the advice that I have received and from my personal knowledge and contact with RUC officers, that their morale is excellent. The recent successes achieved by the RUC speak for themselves. This has undoubtedly done an enormous amount to improve the morale of the force.
When I opened the debate on the order I mentioned the very considerable increase in the number of arrests and convictions that has taken place in the last six months. This has been coupled with a decrease in the level of violence. I believe that this says a great deal for the spirit and success of the RUC. Its strength continues to increase and now stands at 5,423, compared with 5,055 12 months ago. In the first six months of this year there were 1,360 applications to join the force, which in itself is an indication of the morale and standing of the police in Northern Ireland. Already 278 recruits have been accepted. 512 Our aim is to improve upon last year's record figure of 581 recruits. Similarly, and also very important, the strength of the full-time RUC reserve now stands at 943, compared with 729 on 20th June 1976; so there has also been a substantial increase in the full-time reserve.
May I conclude by thanking the noble Viscount very much for the welcome he has given to these orders, though coupled with a qualification which I certainly endorse: that we all look forward to the time when it will not be necessary to bring these orders before your Lordships' House at regular intervals.