§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners currently serving sentences in Northern Ireland have been convicted in Diplock courts; and how many(a) Catholics and (b) Protestants have been convicted and acquitted in Diplock courts.
§ Mr. Stanley[holding answer 26 February 1988]: The only information readily available indicates that on 1 February there were 1,155 prisoners in Northern Ireland who had been convicted of scheduled offences, although in a proportion of cases, where there was no connection with terrorism, they would have been dealt with by normal jury trial. Five hundred and eighty six of these gave their religion as Roman Catholic; and 549 as Protestants. There were 20 "others".
Figures are not available showing the religious persuasion of all those convicted in the Diplock courts, or of those who were acquitted.