§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made at British airports within the past 12 months involving persons carrying firearms or on suspicion of hijacking aircraft; and what action was taken in each case by the authorities.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo arrests have been made at British airports in the last 12 months of people suspected of hijacking offences. So far as we are aware, the only people arrested in this period who appeared to have firearms for terrorist purposes were the group who arrived at Heathrow from the United States on various dates at the end of last year. Two men in this group were recently sentenced to imprisonment for firearms offences and a girl was acquitted.