§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 12 June 2000,Official Report, column 491W, what steps have been taken to reduce the security presence consistent with the level of threat; and what steps will be taken in the next three months. [134883]
§ Mr. IngramFurther to the Secretary of State's statement in the House on 12 June 2000,Official Report, columns 491–92W, all the measures have now been completed except for the Cookstown base and the Fort George army base. These should be finalised this month and the beginning of December respectively.
30WOn 29 September the Chief Constable announced a further tranche of normalisation measures. These were:
- demolition of six patrol bases in Co. Fermanagh;
- closure and demolition of Long Kesh Army base situated beside HM Prison, Maze;
- return to its owners of land at Newtownhamilton, currently used by security forces; and
- closure of Strand Road Holding Centre in Londonderry and granting of solicitor access to terrorist suspects held at Gough Barracks, Armagh.
All these measures have been set in train and will be completed within six months. Further measures will be taken when it is safe to do so.