§ Mr. McNamaraasked 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 1985 as a result of having been charged with crimes, giving separately details of persons who resigned as a result of being charged with scheduled offences.
§ Mr. LeeIn 1985 three members of the Ulster Defence Regiment resigned, having been charged with criminal offences. None of these were scheduled offences.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, in 1985 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. LeeIn 1985 no members of the UDR or its reserve were convicted of membership of any organisation proscribed under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve are currently estimated to be Catholics; what proportion this represents of the regiment's manpower; and how these proportions compare with the recruitment of the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1985.
§ Mr. LeeBetween 2 and 3 per cent. of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment have declared their religion as Roman Catholic. In 1985, 4.9 per cent. of those who applied to join the regiment and 4.2 per cent. of those accepted for service during the year declared their religion as Roman Catholic.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning current policy and practice on deployment of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve with particular reference to the areas and circumstances in which it is deemed opportune and inopportune to deploy the regiment.
§ Mr. LeeI refer the hon. Member to my answer on 11 December 1984 at column415. The policy has not changed.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked 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 1985 for each group of non-commissioned officers and other men.
§ Mr. LeeThe information requested is as follows:352W
Average time served Years Officers 7.9 Non-commissioned officers 10.1 Other ranks 4.5 NOTE: Figures cover full and part-time, males and females.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked 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 1985.
§ Mr. LeeThe information is not available in the form requested. However, the latest available figures for those male and female officers and other ranks who have joined the UDR and who have left the UDR for reasons other than medical or disciplinary or on death for the period October 1984 to September 1985, are as follows:
Intake Outflow Officers Male 32 42 Female Nil Nil Other ranks Male 868 813 Female 187 139
§ Mr. McNamaraasked 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 as at 31 December 1985.
§ Mr. LeeThe information is as follows. Figures for 31 December 1985 are not yet available and therefore those given are as at the latest date, 31 December 1984.
Number Officers Lt. colonel 2 Major 79 Captain 112 Lieutenant 81 2nd lieutenant 33 Other ranks Warrant officer 1 — Warrant officer 2 135 Staff sergeant 168 Sergeant 344 Corporal 619 Lance corporal 743 Private 3,466
§ Mr. McNamaraasked 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. LeeDetails of equipment allocated to the Ulster Defence Regiment between 1970 and 1983 are not available in the form required. For 1983, I refer the hon. Member for my answer to his question of 11 December 1984 at column412. The establishment of vehicles for the 353W Ulster Defence Regiment has not changed since then. However, the system of accounting for weapons has altered. Like other equipment, weapons are now issued according to the current needs and commitments of each battalion. On 16 January 1986 the following types and numbers of weapons were held:
Number Pistol, Walther 7.65mm *25 Pistol, Walther .22mm *22,319 Pistol, 9mm †983 SMG, 9mm 242 SLR 6,714 LMG/GPMG 163 Shotgun 3 * Personal protection weapons (PPWs). † Some 50 per cent. of which are issued as PPWs.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the manpower strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve, as between full-time, part-time, male and female operatives on 31 December of the latest calendar year and at the latest available date.
§ Mr. LeeThe information is as follows. Figures for 1 January 1986 are not available, and therefore figures for the latest available date, 30 November 1985 are given.
Full time Part time Total As at 31 December 1985 Male officers 77 209 286 Female officers 10 11 21 Service men 2,406 3,069 5,475 Service women 196 462 658 As at 30 November 1985 Male officers 88 191 279 Female officers 10 10 20 Service men 2,472 2,996 5,468 Service women 195 516 711