§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions members of the security forces fired plastic bullets in 1983; and how this compares with figures for the last 10 years.
§ Mr. ScottThe security forces fired a total of 661 plastic baton rounds in 1983. The number of baton rounds fired in the 10 preceding years is as follows:
Plastic baton rounds Rubber baton rounds Total 1973 42 12,724 12,766 1974 216 2,612 2,828 1975 3,556 145 3,701 1976 3,464 — 3,464 1977 1,490 — 1,490 1978 1,743 — 1,743 1979 1,271 — 1,271 1980 1,231 — 1,231 1981 *29,601 — 29,601 1982 489 — 489 * The total for 1981 has been reduced by 94 compared with previously published figures in order to correct a recently discovered statistical error.