§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give a breakdown of (a) the current complement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary as of 3 126W March 1985, in terms of stated religion and at the same date in 1984 and (b) the stated religion of Royal Ulster Constabulary casualties caused by direct terrorist attacks on individual Royal Ulster Constabulary personnel, during the period 4 March 1984 to 3 March 1985; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 7 March 1985]: Figures are not available for 3 March 1984 and 3 March 1985, but the complement of the regular Royal Ulster Constabulary on 28 February 1984 was 8,000 and was 8,142 on 28 February 1985. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 14 December 1984 at column 610, about the religious affiliations of members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
During the year ended 3 March 1985, terrorists killed 17 members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary reserve. Four of those killed are understood to have been Roman Catholics. The circumstances in which three of these four policemen were murdered were such that it is unlikely that the terrorists would have been aware of their religious persuasion.