§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the car bomb explosion in Alliance Parade on 14th July; if he will indicate what measures are being taken to protect residents in the area against similar attacks; and what steps have been taken to rehouse people whose dwellings were destroyed and to provide money on account for the purchase of domestic essentials.
§ Mr. ChannonAt 1.33 p.m. on 14th July an anonymous telephone call was received by the police stating that there was a bomb in Alliance Parade. Before this residents had seen two cars stop in the parade. One car was abandoned and as the other car moved off its occupants told passers-by that the abandoned car contained a 2001b. bomb. The immediate area was evacuated and at 1.47 p.m. the bomb exploded, slightly injuring two persons, causing serious damage to 30 houses and less severe damage to a further 60. There is now an increased military presence in the area and all traffic entering it is being controlled. Two new Army observation posts have been set up in the area.
Immediate steps were taken by officers of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to deal with the rehousing of people whose houses were destroyed or uninhabitable. Some of the families made their own arrangements; others are occupying Housing Executive dwellings at Ballysillan and are being offered tenancies, with the benefit of the rent assistance scheme for families made homeless by the emergency. The balance, who so 365W wish, will be given priority by the Housing Executive for rehousing from the emergency list.
Nine claims for the purchase of domestic essentials have been lodged in the emergency payments office of the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Payments have been made in three cases and the others are being investigated urgently.