§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members each battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment had on 24th March 1972; and how many men are in the same battalions at the last available date.
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§ Mr. BlakerTo provide my hon. Friend with this information would disclose the detailed strengths of the Ulster Defence Regiment and, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 20th November 1972, it is not the practice to provide details of deployment of our forces.
However, the total number of those serving in the Ulster Defence Regiment on 29th March 1972—the nearest relevant date to 24th March 1972—was 8,160 and the total number serving on 1st October 1973, was 7,717.—[Vol. 846, c. 312–3.]