HL Deb 07 July 1981 vol 422 cc573-4

2.49 p.m.

Lord Gridley

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether adequate measures are in force in order to prevent the flood of arms reaching Northern Ireland from the United States of America.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Elton)

My Lords, the Government are satisfied that adequate powers to prevent the illegal importation of arms into Northern Ireland do exist and that the security forces and other Government agencies are enforcing them. The United States Government, for its part, has taken energetic measures to prevent the illegal export of arms. Of course, the Government cannot be content while any illegal arms reach terrorists in Northern Ireland, but I should emphasise that it is by no means a flood.

Lord Gridley

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend the Minister for that Answer, may I ask whether the situation is really as satisfactory as he has stated? Has my noble friend seen the report in a British newspaper of 22nd June that 8,000 arms were seized from American army depots over a period of three years, enough for up to 10 battalions or 8,000 men, and that these were destined for terrorists? Has my noble friend any statement to make as to whether any attempt has been made to discover the eventual destination of these arms? Finally, has my noble friend noted, as has been alleged in this report, that two M60 machine guns, seized from IRA terrorists in Belfast, were stolen from a national guard armoury in the United States? Has my noble friend any information on that point?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the Government of the United States co-operates actively with Her Majesty's Government in the suppression of illegal trading in arms. A number of successful prosecutions have taken place within the last 12 months. A significant quantity of arms was also intercepted on 9th June. Indeed, I would have thought that the statistics my noble friend has given would show that there is a very effective effort being mounted by the Government of the United States to prevent the traffic in illegal arms.

My noble friend also asked about the origin of arms recovered from terrorists in Northern Ireland. It is true that the largest single proportion—amounting, I think, to 47 per cent.—originates in the United States, although there are other countries of origin, notably British arms which have been stolen or misappropriated in the British Isles.