Northern Ireland

HC Deb 10 December 1971 vol 827 cc395-8W

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence what provision is made by way of travel allowances to the dependants of soldiers serving in Northern Ireland, who are at school in England.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Dependants of Servicemen have no entitlement in

Date	School	Items Found
7th April, 1971	…	…	St Thomas' School, Whiterock Road, Belfast.	15½ lbs. Of gelignite.
							1 rovolver.
							65 rounds of ammunition.
							26 feet of safety fuse.
29th/30th April, 1971	…	St Gabriel's School, Crumlin Road, Belfast.	1 machine gun.
							2 rifles.
							7 pistols/revolvers.
							2,246 rounds of ammunition.
							8 magazines.
28th June, 1971	…	…	Stella Maris School, Mill Road, Belfast	…	3 rifles.
							2 shotguns.
30th September, 1971	…	Finniston School, Old Park Road, Belfast	Nil.
30th October, 1971	…	Holy Trinity School, Monagh Road, Belfast	Nil.
20th November, 1971	…	Mount St Catherine's School, Armagh	…	1 shotgun.
							2 rifles.
							1 silencer.
							1 telescopic sight.
							262 rounds of ammunition
21st November, 1971	…	Convent of the Sacred Heart Armagh	…	Nil.
21st November, 1971	…	Armagh Grammar School	…	…	…	Nil.
26th November, 1971	…	St. Peters School, Beechmount, Belfast	…	Nil.
26th November, 1971	…	St. Paul's School, Beechmount, Belfast	…	1 rifle.
							5 pistols/revolvers.
							188 rounds of ammunition.
6th December, 1971	…	Girls High School, Armagh	…	…	Nil.

their own right to travel at public expense. Servicemen may, however, transfer up to two of their annual entitlement of free leave warrants for travel by members of their family. Exceptionally, Servicemen stationed in Northern Ireland with their families who have children at boarding school in Great Britain may transfer up to three of their free leave warrants a year so that the children may visit them during the school holidays.

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many schools in Northern Ireland have been searched by the Army since 1st January, 1971; what are the names and addresses of the schools; and what arms, ammunition and subversive material were impounded, and from which schools.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Eleven schools have been searched. Their names and addresses are given below, together with details of the arms, ammunition and other material discovered in their buildings or their grounds:

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many incidents there have been in 1971 on the frontiers between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Eire, involving the Army and the Army of the Republic of Eire or the Eire police.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

I regret that to give a full answer to this Question would involve a disproportionate amount of effort. However from 9th August to 6th December there have been 25 incidents involving the British Army-including shootings and civil disturbances-at which the Gardai or Army of the Republic of Ireland have been reported present or have arrived on the scene subsequently. In none of these incidents, of course, were any shots exchanged between British soldiers and the Gardai or Army of the Republic.

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Minister of State for Defence what complaints have been made by the Principal of St. Paul's Voluntary Primary School, Belfast, following a search of the premises by the Army on 26th November, 1971; what arms, ammunition and subversive material was discovered, and where; and what reply has been made to the complaint.

(Thousands)
			Coal mining	Hosiery and other knitted goods	Construction	Retail distribution	Educational services
June, 1965	…	…	97.9	77.8	94.8	125.9	69.2
June, 1966
(a)	…	…	92.9	78.1	95.2	126.0	69.4
(b)	…	…	92.9	77.9	92.4	125.1	69.4
June, 1967	…	…	89.7	77.2	90.1	123.1	75.0
June, 1968	…	…	84.0	75.7	86.3	121.2	76.7
June, 1969
(a)	…	…	78.4	78.7	81.2	118.5	80.0
(b)	…	…	78.4	78.9	81.1	111.5	80.3
June, 1970	…	…	72.5	78.1	74.3	112.4	83.4
Notes:
1. Between June, 1966 and June, 1967 the industrial classifications of many establishments were corrected. Estimates for June, 1966 are shown on both bases, that is (a) excluding and (b) including the effects of reclassifications.
2. Estimates for June, 1969(a) and earlier dates are classified according to the 1958 edition of the Standard Industrial Classification and are not fully comparable with those for June, 1969(b) and June, 1970 which are classified on the basis of the 1968 edition.
3. The figures relate to minimum list headings of the Standard Industrial Classification as follows:
Coal mining: Minimum list heading 101 of both the S.I.C. (1958) and the S.I.C. (1968).
Hosiery and other knitted goods: M.L.H. 417 of both the S.I.C. (1958) and the S.I.C. (1968).
Construction: M.L.H. 500 of both the S.I.C. (1958) and the S.I.C. (1968).
Retail Distribution: M.L.H. 820 of the S.I.C. (1958) and M.L.H.'s 820 and 821 of the S.I.C. (1968).
Educational services: M.L.H. 872 of both the S.I.C. (1958) and the S.I.C. (1968).

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

I have received no complaint from the Principal of the School. The following items were discovered in the ceiling of a changing room:

• 1 rifle.
• 5 pistols/revolvers.
• 188 rounds of ammunition.

One of the pistols was loaded.