§ Mr. Soleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the numbers of fatalities of persons in each of the following categories, which have been caused as a result of action taken by individual para-military groups in Northern Ireland since August 1969: (a) members of security forces, (b) civilians, including assassinations, (c) civilians killed in bomb attacks, (d) victims of own bombs, (e) innocent victims caught up in attacks and (f) victims of either nationalist or loyalist riots or street disturbances.
§ Mr. John PattenAccurate information in the form requested is not readily available from police records and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the Chief Constable's reports from 1969 to 1981 which contain general security statistics of this nature.
§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of children, with their ages, presumed killed or mutilated by the Irish Republican Army; how many of these have been acknowledged by the Irish Republican Army; and in what terms.
§ Mr. John PattenSince 1969 a total of 33 children under 16 years of age have been killed in circumstances which the Royal Ulster Constabulary believes have resulted from criminal activities by Republican terrorist groups including the Irish Republican Army. In six of the cases responsibility for these crimes was admitted by such groups. Listing these children by name might cause further distress to their relatives.
Details of children who have been injured by such groups are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing how many persons have been killed or injured each year since August 1969 in each of the following categories: (a) civilians, (b) soldiers in the regular Armed Forces, (c) members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Ulster Defence Regiment (part-time) and (d) members of the 86W Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve, as a result of acts by the Irish Republican Army.
§ Mr. John PattenWhile it is not possible for it to be certain in every case, the Royal Ulster Constabulary believes that the deaths listed as follows resulted from criminal activities by members of Republican terrorist groups including the Irish Republican Army.
Year Civilians Army UDR (inc. part-time) RUC (inc. Reserve) 1969 5 — — — 1970 13 — — 2 1971 45 43 5 11 1972 133 103 26 16 1973 57 56 8 12 1974 59 28 7 15 1975 82 14 6 11 1976 102 14 15 23 1977 31 15 14 14 1978 24 14 7 10 1979 34 38 10 14 1980 26 8 9 9 1981 23 10 13 21 *1982 12 6 2 2 TOTALS 646 349 122 160 * To 30 April.