HL Deb 08 May 2002 vol 634 cc171-2WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they consider an organisation to be on ceasefire if in recent years it has carried out any of the following: murders, beatings, identification of targets, purchasing weapons, training other terrorist organisations, or taking part in a raid into a police complex in Northern Ireland. [HL3926]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

We keep the ceasefires of all paramilitary organisations under close review, taking into account information from all sources available to us. If it is considered that a ceasefire is not being maintained, the Secretary of State will not hesitate to take whatever action is considered necessary.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will give examples of activities for which paramilitary organisations could be deemed to be breaking their ceasefires. [HL3927]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The Secretary of State's announcement of 12 October 2001 states the reasons for the specification of the UDA, UFF and the LVF. The Secretary of State is regularly briefed by the Acting Chief Constable and continues to keep the status of all ceasefires under review and he will not hesitate to take whatever action is deemed necessary and appropriate in the circumstances.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they propose to take in relation to Sinn Fein if the IRA is linked to the ongoing targeting of individuals or installations. [HL3929]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

A judgement on whether a ceasefire is being observed, or whether a party is committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means, could only be reached in the light of all the circumstances of a particular case. We are not going to hypothesise on the outcome of ongoing investigations.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been their response to representations from the Government of the Irish Republic concerning breaches of the IRA ceasefire. [HL3930]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

There have been no such representations, although the two governments keep in close touch on security-related matters.