§ 95. Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he has taken as a result of the serious shooting incidents lasting for many hours near the centre of Belfast on the nights of 27th-28th June and 3rd-4th July both to prevent and to stop rapidly any further outbreaks of violence or shooting in the streets of Belfast and to detect and apprehend those responsible, with a view to handing them over to the police.
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§ Lord BalnielI have nothing to add to the replies given to the hon. Member on 16th July.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence on how many occasions the armed forces have been called in when explosive and incendiary devices have been detonated in Northern Ireland in the past 12 months; what the total loss of life and injury to members of the security forces and civilians has been; and what is the total cost of the damage to service property.
§ Lord BalnielService technical personnel have been called out in connection with the detonation of explosives and incendiary devices 86 times between 1st July, 1969 and 21st July, 1970. No loss of life or injury to Service personnel resulted from such incidents; an estimate of the cost of damage to Ministry of Defence property is not readily available, but there has been no damage to fixed assets. The armed forces are not responsible for maintaining records of civilian casualties and I am unable to provide this information.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence at what time the first shots were reported to the military command from the Newtownards Road area of Belfast on the night of 27th-28th June; and when the last shots were fired in the same area on that Sunday morning.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourThe first shots were reported at about 11.30 p.m. on 27th June. A final isolated shot was fired at about 6.30 a.m. on 28th June.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence if the inquiries held by the security forces in Northern Ireland following the disturbances on the nights of 27th-28th June and 3rd-4th July have shown which section of the community was responsible in each case for the shooting which led to several civilian deaths and many serious injuries from gun-shot wounds.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourIt has not been possible to identify the individuals responsible for the shooting on the nights of 27th-28th June and 3rd-4th July.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence what inquiries are 226W being held by the armed forces into the causes of the explosion in the Northern Bank, High Street, Belfast on 16th July; how many people were injured as a result; at what time the explosion occurred; at what time Army units arrived to assist the police in the area; and what further immediate search was made by them for other explosive devices.
§ Lord BalnielThe armed forces are not responsible for forensic inquiries into bomb outrages in Northern Ireland but provide technical expertise on request; nor are they responsible for maintaining records of civilian casualties, the numbers of which I am unable to give for this particular incident. The explosion occurred at 2.20 p.m. A mobile military patrol was at the scene of the explosion at 2.23 p.m. and a platoon of troops at 2.30 p.m. to help in searches in the vicinity for other explosive devices.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence what report concerning the gathering of a crowd in the lower part of the Newtownards Road on the night of 27–28th June immediately before the disturbances commenced and shooting broke out, and the reasons for it, was received by the Army; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord BalnielAt 10.30 p.m. on 27th June the R.U.C. reported that a crowd was gathering in the Newtownards Road area and that it was dealing with the situation. Military assistance was requested about one hour later.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence what inquiries have been and are being made by the armed forces in order to discover who is responsible for the recent bomb outrages in Northern Ireland and with what result; and what steps are being taken by them to prevent further such outrages.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourInquiries are being made and all appropriate action taken.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the Government's intentions in regard to the rôle of the armed forces in dealing with rioting and arson in Northern Ireland in so far as they have not already been dealt with.
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§ Lord BalnielThe Government's intention with regard to the rôle of the armed forces in Northern Ireland is that they should continue to assist, with all the means available to them, in preventing civil disturbances; and where these occur, to bring them under control as quickly as possible and with the minimum of force.
§ Mr. McMasterasked the Minister of State for Defence why, during the nights of 27th-28th June and 3rd-4th July, the security forces did not at once take steps to hand over to the police those responsible for the use of firearms, resulting in three deaths and 26 injuries, while they remained in the vicinity of St. Matthew's Church on the Newtownards Road near the centre of Belfast.
§ Lord BalnielI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22nd July which explained why the gunmen were not arrested by the army on the night of 27th-28th June. For the same reasons positive identification of the gunmen, which would have assisted in subsequent arrest, was not possible.—[Vol. 804. c.129–130.]