HC Deb 25 November 1971 vol 826 cc413-6W
15. Mr. Duffy

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the present estimated annual cost of maintaining the armed forces in Northern Ireland.

Lord Balniel

There are no meaningful figures of the cost of maintaining forces in particular areas of the British Isles. In reply to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. Stallard) on 22nd October, my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Army gave an estimate of £;11.6 million for the extra cost of Northern Ireland military operations in the current financial year.—[Vol. 823, c.204.]

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many people were arrested by the security forces in Northern Ireland during the last four weeks; how many of these were in Belfast and Londonderry; and how the numbers compare with those arersted in each of the previous four months.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

I regret that it is impracticable without disproportionate effort to provide the information in the precise form required by my hon. Friend, in particular to give figures by districts. The available information is as follows:

Numbers arrested by the security forces with a view to their possible detention and internment:
9th–31st August 362
1st–30th September 164
1st–31st October 278
1st–25th November 455
Numbers arrested by the Army with a view to being charged with specific offences of a security nature:
1st January–9th August 1,098
9th August–8th September 317
8thSeptember–6th October 185
6th October–3rd November 157
3rd–25th November 96

There may be some overlap between these two sets of figures. For example,

4th August to 1st September 1st to 29th September 29th September to 27th October 27th October to 24th November
Rifles 17 19 16 70
Machine Guns 2 2 4 5
Shotguns 9 8 10 11
Pistols/Revolvers 21 21 36 25
Ammunition (rounds) 7,303 2,212 10,313 53,116
Explosives (lbs.) 504 401 404 539
Pipe/petrol/nail bombs 272 267 75 27

persons arrested with a view to being charged with a specific offence may in the event not be charged but may be found to be wanted for possible detention and internment.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many incidents of tarring and feathering have been reported to the security forces in Northern Ireland; how many of these involved women; and how many of these incidents involved members of the Bog-side Women's Vengeance Committee.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Since 1st November, I have received reports of four people being tarred and feathered. Two of these were women. I have no definite evidence as to who was responsible. However, R.U.C. enquiries are proceeding.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the incident in Kilrea, County Londonderry, in which a telephone exchange was wrecked.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

At approximately 10.30 p.m. on 14th November the automatic telephone exchange at Kilrea was wrecked by a bomb, estimated to have contained five to 10 lb. of explosive, which had been placed against the outside wooden wall. There were no casualties.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will give details of arms found by the security forces in Northern Ireland during the last four weeks; and how this compares with quantities found in the previous four months.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

I regret that the information cannot be provided in the precise form requested without disproportionate effort. Arms finds over the last 16 weeks have included the following:

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the activities of the security forces near Kilrea, County Londonderry, on 21st and 22nd November, 1971.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

The Army was not involved in any security operation near Kilrea on 21st November. During an operation on 22nd November the security forces arrested four men and found the following items in a quarry near Kilrea:

6 × 5 lb. explosive charges.
18 lb. gelignite.
25 shotgun cartridges.
1 round of 7.62 mm ammunition.
51 detonators.
2 switchboards drilled for trip-wire.
½ cwt. scaffolding couplings.

Mr. McManus

asked the Minister of State for Defence how much explosive has been used by the Army in the cratering of border roads in Northern Ireland.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Up to 22nd November, 18,000 lb. of explosive had been used by the Army in cratering border roads.

Mr. McManus

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many times mechanical diggers and bulldozers have been used by the Army in the cratering of border roads in Northern Ireland.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Up to 22nd November, mechanical diggers and bulldozers had been employed 51 times in the blocking of border roads.

Mr. McManus

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will give an estimate of the cost of cratering border roads in Northern Ireland, and the cost of guarding these roads when cratered.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

It has cost about £;10,000 to make the holes and nothing to guard them.

Mr. McManus

asked the Minister of State for Defence what arrangements have been made to compensate border dwellers whose land and property have been destroyed or damaged as a result of the cratering of roads in Northern Ireland by the Army.

Mr. G. Johnson-Smith

Any claims should be addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Northern Ireland.

Mr. McManus

asked the Minister of State for Defence in how many road accidents the Army have been involved in Northern Ireland since August, 1969; and how many of these accidents have resulted in civilian deaths.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Between 1st August, 1969, and 31st October, 1971, there were 3,612 accidents involving Army vehicles in Northern Ireland. Twelve of these accidents resulted in civilian deaths.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to use the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in Northern Ireland in order to assist with security operations in the province.

Lord Balniel

None. The T.A.V.R. is a reserve force for the Army as a whole and is subject to legislation which allows it to be called out in certain circumstances for operational duties on a full-time basis only.

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