HC Deb 11 November 1975 vol 899 cc596-7W
Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of the amounts and types of explosive material and detonators and their country of origin, which were recovered from terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland during the last 18 months ended 30 September 1975, and on a monthly basis.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th October 1975; Vol. 897, c. 748], gave the following information:

NUMBERS OF DETONATORS RECOVERED FROM FINDS AND FROM NEUTRALISED DEVICES IN NORTHERN IRELAND TOGETHER WITH THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
By Month Manufactured in Marked for use in Irish Republic Great Britain Marked for use in Northern Ireland Manufactured in America Manufactured in Germany Others*
1974—
April … 30 3 13 — 94
May … 25 — 91 — 151
June … 4 1 10 — 125
July … 4 — — — 20
August … 11 — 2 — 40
September … 31 — 46 8 50
October … 34 1 44 1 68
November … 8 — 1 — 26
December … 25 — [...] 6 43
1975—
January … 9 — — 1 12
February … 41 2 10 1 364
March … 10 — — — 27
April … 1 2 1 — 21
May … [...] 4 — — 34
June … 22 — 5 19 72
July … 11 2 — — 22
August … 8 5 1 — 13
September … 16 1 — — 22
* Those listed in the "others" column would include detonators which were:

  1. (i) unidentifiable due to damage by controlled explosion or deterioration;
  2. (ii) manufactured in Great Britain before 1971 for use in the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland and, therefore, unmarked;
  3. (iii) manufactured in Great Britain for use in Great Britain and the rest of the world excluding the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland;
  4. (iv) manufactured in countries other than Great Britain, America and Germany.