HC Deb 11 February 1971 vol 811 c219W
32. Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will undertake a review of the medium-term rôle and method of operation of the Army in those areas of Northern Ireland where it has the main security rôle.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

The rôle of the Army will be to continue to assist with the maintenance of peace and order, with the firm and impartial enforcement of the law and with the combating of subversion. There are no grounds for a review now of this rôle. The methods of discharging it are continuously under review, and a particular assessment of them was made by my noble Friend the Secretary of State during his recent visit to Northern Ireland.