§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the average period of remand without bail for which prisoners were held for scheduled offences under the emergency provisions Act in the years 1969 to 1982 according to membership of paramilitary groups, republican and loyalist, indicating the number of prisoners in each case, the longest and shortest periods and the number currently held;
(2) what was the average period of remand without bail for which alleged members of loyalist and republican paramilitary organisations, indicating which organisations, and persons alleging belonging to no such organisations, have been held while awaiting trial for scheduled offences under the emergency provisions Act in each year from 1969 to 1982, respectively, indicating the total number of persons in each case and the longest and shortest period for which a person was held.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation in the form requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However the average time between remand without bail and trial for persons charged with scheduled offences was 370 days in 1979, 301 days in 1980 and 306 days in 1981. Figures for 1982 are not yet available.
At 16 Jaunary 1983 there were 300 people remanded in custody charged with scheduled offences.