HC Deb 01 March 1982 vol 19 cc23-4W
Mr. William Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment shootings there have been in each of the last 18 months in Northern Ireland; and of these how many are believed to have been the work of the Irish Republican Army.

Mr. Prior

The number of woundings recorded by the police as punishment shootings in the period 1 August 1980 to 31 January 1982 is as follows:

1980 1981 1982
January 3 10
February 2
March 7
April 1
May 4
June 11
July 3
August 4 18
September 7 3

Benefit Number of recipients Date of latest

information

Projected amount to

be paid out in

current financial year

£ million

Contributory benefits
Child's special allowance 8 February 1982 0.004
Death grant †14,500 0.4
Invalidity benefit 32,561 February 1982 66.2
Maternity allowance 5,241 February 1982 6.8
Maternity grant ‡25,700 February 1982
Retirement pension 194,384 February 1982 258.9
Sickness benefit 19,216 February 1982 25.4
Unemployment benefit ║50,000 May 1981 64.0
Widow's benefit* 15,242 February 1982 25.3
Non-contributory benefits Means tested
Family income supplement 11,295 January 1982 7.0
Supplementary benefit 149,977 December 1981 186.0
Not means tested
Attendance allowance 16,176 January 1982 16.0
Child benefit ¶216,122 February 1982 126.0
Guardians allowance 247 February 1982 0.1
Industrial injury benefit 806 February 1982 1.0

1980 1981 1982
October 9 5
November 5 13
December 2 12
(Total 119)

It is not possible to be certain how many of these shootings were the responsibility of the Irish Republican Army but it is believed that 90 were carried out by Republican terrorists and the rest by "Loyalist" terrorists.