§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will take urgent steps to suppress a newly formed armed force of 100 Roman Catholics trained in the use of arms by both wings of the Irish Republican Army in the Brytson Street-Seaforde Street area of the Newtownards Road, Belfast, in view of the fact that they are responsible for the shooting of a young Protestant boy and three Protestant men in that area on the early evening of Tuesday, 13th April.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithI have no knowledge of a force such as that referred to by the hon. Member. The security forces will continue to make every effort to bring to justice all criminal elements in Northern Ireland. I hope the hon. Member will let me have any information at his disposal that may assist them in this task.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is aware that one eighth of the total force recruited into the Ulster Defence Regiment has resigned, and that, in particular in the County of Londonderry, almost one fourth has resigned, in Belfast one sixth has resigned; to what causes he attributes these resignations; and what steps he proposes to alter the situation.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithThe resignation rates for the Ulster Defence Regi-144W ment are not exceptional for such a part-time volunteer force. Members resign for a variety of private business and personal reasons and losses are more than made up by new recruitment.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence upon whose orders and for what reasons a barricade was erected and left unmanned at the gates near Bryson Street of St. Matthews Roman Catholic Chapel, Newtownards Road, Belfast on the night of Tuesday, 13th April, 1971.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithI have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend on 22nd April.—[Vol. 126, c. 424–425.]