§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland have been convicted of membership of illegal organisations over the past four years; and how many of these received non-custodial sentences.
§ Mr. PriorThe available statistics record only the most serious offence or that for which the offender received the heaviest sentence. A number of convictions for membership of a proscribed organisation are therefore excluded. Figures recorded on this basis are as follows:
Year No. convicted Non-custodial Sentences 1978 87 66 1979 93 72 1980 35 27 1981 12 5