§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now able to make a statement on Sir Edmund Compton's investigations into alleged irregularities in the treatment of internees in Northern Ireland by the British military authorities.
§ Mr. SharplesI would refer the hon. Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 16th November.—[Vol. 826, c. 215–7.]
§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the representa- 192W tions he has received from the Northern Ireland Police Authority on the guarding of police stations, in particular stating on what date the representations were received and what action is now being taken in response to them.
§ Mr. MaudlingI discussed the protection of police stations with the Northern Ireland Police Authority on 6th October. I issued the following statement on 12th November
Attacks on police stations are a major feature of current I.R.A. activity.A number of stations (including all those jointly occupied by the Army and the R.U.C.) are at present guarded by the Regular Army or the U.D.R.; the remainder are protected only to the extent that police manpower and existing police-type arms permit. The Army (including the U.D.R.) will maintain its existing guards on police stations and will aim to increase the number of stations that it can protect to the extent that the operational situation and the available Regular and U.D.R. manpower resources permit. It will also make automatic weapons available at the request of the Police Authority solely for the protection of those stations which are not at present provided with a 24 hour military guard.The G.O.C. Northern Ireland as Director of Operations will provide such training in the use of these weapons as may be necessary and will agree with the Chief Constable operational orders governing their control and use.These arrangements will be kept under regular review.