HC Deb 11 December 1984 vol 69 cc412-8W
Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the military equipment of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, listing separately firearms and the type of firearms, motor vehicles, armoured vehicles and type and number of radio, radar and electronics surveillance equipment with which the regiment is equipped today and in each year since its inception.

Mr. Lee

The information is not maintained in the foam requested. However, the current establishment of weapons and vehicles for the Ulster Defence Regiment is as follows:

Number
.22 Rifles 222
9mm Pistol 642
9mm SMG 110
7.62mm SLR 8,409
Number
GPMG/LMG 184
Landrovers 249
Recruiting Trailer 1
Trailers 61
4 Ton Trucks 10
Other vehicles 228

Other equipment can be issued when commitments or circumstances dictate. The radio allocation varies from week to week, dependent upon the tasks and commitments of each battalion.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the percentages of Catholics and Protestants who have served in the Ulster Defence Regiment for each year since the regiment's inception.

Mr. Lee

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question of 13 March this year, at column 129. The position has not changed since then. Information for earlier years is not available.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many regular officers are currently attached to the Ulster Defence Regiment.

Mr. Lee

The figure is 34.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many regular soldiers are currently attached to the Ulster Defence Regiment.

Mr. Lee

The figure is 67.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the current morale of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

Mr. Lee

The morale of the Ulster Defence Regiment is high.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to change the role of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

Mr. Lee

No. The Ulster Defence Regiment will continue to play a full part in the Army's overall effort in support of the RUC in Northern Ireland.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence

Financial year Wages/salaries

£ million

Construction/buildings

£ million

Equipment

£ million

Support costs

£million

Total

£ million

1971–72 0.9 0.1 1.0
1972–73 2.3 2.5 0.3 5.1
1973–74 6.0 1.4 0.2 0.4 8.0
1974–75 6.4 1.4 0.6 0.3 8.7
1975–76 6.88 0.43 0.42 7.73
1976–77 10.63 0.21 0.31 0.58 11.73
1977–78 13.01 0.42 0.92 0.78 15.13
1978–79 15.07 0.31 0.88 0.85 17.11
1979–80 20.04 0.05 1.03 1.12 22.24
1980–81 24.77 1.10 1.26 27.13
1981–82 33.2 0.9 1.2 35.3
1982–83 33.1 1.10 1.7 35.9
1983–84 36.1 1.2 1.8 39.1

Regiment have been killed or maimed this year whilst carrying out their duties; how many were off duty; and how many were full-time and part-time, respectively.

Mr. Lee

Up to 30 November, 10 soldiers have been killed, of whom two were on duty and eight were off duty, and one was full-time and nine part-time. Nine soldiers have been injured, of whom four were on duty and five were off duty, and three were full-time and six were part-time.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, since its inception have been found to be members of illegal paramilitary organisations or, separately, legal paramilitary organisations such as the Ulster Defence Association or the Third Force.

Mr. Lee

The information is not maintained in the form requested, but during the last five years — the only period for which information is available—there are no records of serving members of the UDR being convicted of membership of any organisation proscribed under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current policy concerning the possession of firearms at their domiciles by members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve.

Mr. Lee

UDR personnel who are under threat can be issued with a personal protection weapon on the authority of the commander UDR. All applications for PPWs are subject to rigorous scrutiny. If the UDR member issued with a PPW leaves Northern Ireland or is absent from home for over 24 hours the weapon has to be returned. In addition, UDR personnel may apply to the RUC for a private firearms certificate in the same way as any other resident of Northern Ireland.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the costs of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, divided between wages and salaries, other personnel costs, costs of construction and buildings, investment in military equipment and other costs for each year since the regiment's inception.

Mr. Lee

The information is as follows:

The above figures are those which appeared in the Estimates for each financial year. Figures for 1984–85 are not yet available, and those prior to 1971–72 were not separately identified.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning current policy and practice of deployment of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, with particular reference to the areas and circumstances in which it is, and is not, deployed.

Mr. Lee

The UDR, both permanent cadre and part time, are deployed in support of the RUC across almost all areas of Northern Ireland, although they are not used on crowd control or riot duties in cities.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have been killed by the Ulster Defence Regiment operatives on duty in Northern Ireland to date; how many of those fatalities were of civilians unconnected with terrorist organisations; and how many victims there were for whom no mandate of arrest existed.

Mr. Lee

Since the formation of the regiment, six civilians have died as a result of action by members of the UDR in the course of their duty. It is not possible to say for certain how many of these were or were not connected with terrorist organisations.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the manpower strength

(Figures as at 31 December)
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Lieutenant Colonel 3 2 1 1 3 3 4 3 2 4
Major 78 82 83 83 85 89 87 88 86 77
Captain 123 144 148 153 142 130 126 125 112 114
Lieutenant 72 101 107 89 89 97 123 113 100 96
2nd Lieutenant 124 70 59 64 86 74 44 43 32 37
Warrant Officer 1 1 2 2 1 1 2
Warrant Officer 2 113 112 114 114 132 133 134 138 139 138
Staff Sergeant 155 178 185 193 187 168 182 172 162 170
Sergeant 251 273 251 260 321 349 358 345 336 336
Corporal 753 761 733 698 787 766 744 707 692 655
Lance Corporal 867 879 870 887 924 939 916 868 829 795
Private 4,652 4,586 4,441 4,585 4,274 3,980 4,001 4,072 3,851 3,795
Female other ranks 204 603 622 684 730 695 712 676 685 712
Total 7,396 7,793 7,616 7,812 7,761 7,425 7,431 7,350 7,026 6,929

The figures for other ranks do not include females, which are shown separately.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, were former members of the B Specials at the time of the regiment's inception; and what is the number today.

Mr. Lee

The information is not available in the form requested, though on grounds of age alone some two thirds of those now serving in the regiment would have been too young to serve in the B Specials.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of operatives by rank, separately, of those who have joined the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve, and of those who have resigned from the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, in each year since its inception.

of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, as between full-time and part-time, male and female operatives for each year since its inception.

Mr. Lee

These details are given in the following table:

(figures as at 31 March).
Part time time Full time
Male Female Male Female Total
1970 2,243 49 2,292
1971 3,880 234 4,114
1972 8,117 645 8,762
1973 7,444 833 8,277
1974 6,484 450 851 8 7,793
1975 5,635 592 1,414 13 7,654
1976 5,618 596 1,505 19 7,738
1977 5,332 619 1,662 31 7,644
1978 5,039 631 2,113 79 7,862
1979 4,556 598 2,346 123 7,623
1980 4,627 552 2,416 138 7,373
1981 4,159 582 2,580 158 7,479
1982 3,893 498 2,561 178 7,130
1983 3,798 544 2,601 192 7,135
1984 3,563 531 2,483 200 6,777

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, by rank of serving operative for each year since the regiment's inception.

Mr. Lee

These details are given in the following table:

Mr. Lee

The information is not available in the form requested. However, figures for those who have joined the UDR and who have left the UDR, for reasons other than medical or disciplinary or on death, are as follows:

Intake Outflow
Officers Other ranks Officers Other ranks
1975–76 59 1,634 38 1,214
1976–77 37 1,691 36 1,191
1977–78 55 1,931 54 1,301
1978–79 64 1,731 43 1,515
1979–80 34 1,331 40 1,236
1980–81 39 1,509 38 1,105
1981–82 26 1,211 51 1,207
1982–83 26 1,488 47 1,114
1983–84 36 966 30 1,076

Figures prior to 1975 are not available.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the average time served in the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, by current operatives for each year since the regiment's inception for each group of (a) non-commissioned officers, (b) commissioned officers and (c) other ranks.

Mr. Lee

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the procedure for vetting existing and new applicants for membership of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, to ensure that the membership of the regiment is consistent with standards of maximising its acceptability to both communities in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Lee

It is not our practice to disclose details of our procedures for vetting applicants to join the armed forces; however, I am satisfied that they provide thorough safeguards.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of persons who have been asked to resign from the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, in each year since its inception, indicating those who have been charged with crimes, giving separately details of persons who resigned as a result of being charged with scheduled offences.

Mr. Lee

The information requested is not available.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the number of seconded regular officers and men in the Ulster Defence Regiment is sufficient to prevent sectarian activity by members of that regiment; and if he will indicate how he measures the efficacy of such steps.

Mr. Lee

I am satisfied that the current balance between personnel from the regular Army and locally recruited personnel is the best one to ensure the effective operation of the regiment. There are no plans to change that balance, which has worked very well.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of the Ulster Defence Regiment within Her Majesty's Government's overall policy of promoting a peaceful settlement to the troubles in Ulster.

Mr. Lee

The UDR makes an important contribution to the overall security forces effort. In many cases it has helped the RUC to bring terrorist criminals to justice, and this in turn has contributed to the Government's overall aim of promoting peace and political stability in Northern Ireland.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the steps he is taking to ensure that the Ulster Defence Regiment enjoys the support of the majority of each sector of political opinion in Northern Ireland; and if he will indicate how he measures the efficacy of such steps in each sector.

Mr. Lee

The Government are always sensitive to the need to ensure that all elements of the security forces enjoy the support of all sections of the community. In training soldiers for the UDR the Army makes every effort to instil the highest possible standards of impartiality and politeness of their dealings with members of the public, irrespective of political or religious affiliation.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its reserve, for each year since the regiment's inception, who have been charged with offences in criminal courts and who have been convicted of offences, giving details of custodial sentences imposed, and separately for charges and convictions concerning murder, attempted murder, membership of illegal organisations, conspiracy to cause explosions, withholding information concerning terrorist activity, possession of explosives, possession of explosives with intent to cause bodily harm, possession of firearms, possession of firearms with intent to cause bodily harm and other offences classified as schedule offences; and if he will specify whether those convicted have served their sentence either in any of the six counties of Northern Ireland or on mainland Britain.

Mr. Lee

The information is not available in the form requested. However, since the formation of the UDR the following numbers of serving soldiers have been convicted of offences:

  • — eight with murder.
  • — six with manslaughter.
  • — eighty with assault.

The great majority of these offences were of a domestic nature. In addition, it is known that the following numbers of soldiers have been charged with serious offences since May 1983:

  • — three with possession of firearms.
  • — two with bomb hoaxes.
  • — one with making petrol bombs.
  • — one with arson.
  • — one with drunk in charge of firearms.