§ 1. Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
§ 2. Rev. William McCreaTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
§ 10. Mr. Ron BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the current security situation in Northern Ireland.
§ 12. Mr. MolyneauxTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Ian StewartI refer my hon. Friend and right hon. and hon. Members to the reply I gave on 10 November,444W Official Report, column 468. Since then six people have been killed in incidents arising from the security situation in Northern Ireland. A policeman was shot dead on 21 November, a 13-year-old girl and her grandfather were killed in an explosion outside Benburb RUC station on 23 November, a civilian was shot dead in Portadown on 13 December and a UDR soldier was shot dead in Downpatrick on 16 December. All were murdered by the Provisional IRA. A further civilian was shot dead by gunmen at Coagh on 24 November. Although no one has claimed responsibility for this murder, it is believed to have been the work of a Loyalist paramilitary organisation.
The continued courage and vigilance of the security forces have prevented further terrorist outrages which would have inevitably resulted in greater loss of life and destruction of property.
The efforts of the security forces continue to yield encouraging results. Since the beginning of the year a total of 405 people have been charged with serious offences, 445W including 20 with murder and 32 with attempted murder. Some 530 weapons, over 103,000 rounds of ammunition and 9,630 lbs of explosives have been recovered in Northern Ireland.
During the same period, the Garda Siochana has recovered 306 weapons, about 140,600 rounds of ammunition and about 1,100 lbs of explosives.