§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have subsequently been charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees2,023 people have been detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. An extension of detention under Section 7 of the 1974 Act or Section 12 of the 1976 Act has been approved in 233 cases; a further 473 people were detained for 48 hours or less. 1,317 people have been detained pending further examination at ports under the Supplemental Orders made under the Acts.
100 people detained under the Acts have been charged with offences in Great Britain. Ten of them have been charged with offences under the Acts. Eight of the remainder have been charged with murder, three with attempted murder, 12 with conspiracy to cause explosions, seven with unlawful possession of explosives, six with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life, six with contravention of Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue, 15 with theft, one with robbery, eight with burglary, one with assisting offenders, two with causing criminal damage, two with attempting criminal deception, one with handling a stolen vehicle, three with handling stolen property, one with unlawful wounding, one with possession of drugs, three with wasting police time, one with causing an explosion, one with harbouring a person 43W known to have committed an arrestable offence, one with attempted theft, one with assault on the police, and one with being found on enclosed premises.
In addition three people have been returned to the Irish Republic and there charged, two with burglary and one with robbery. Seven people have been returned to Northern Ireland and there charged, one with conspiracy to cause an explosion, three with armed robbery, two with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and one with unlawful possession of explosives.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and under which sections of the Act the charges have been brought.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesSeven people have been charged in Great Britain with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976; two under Section 10(1)(a) and Section 10(2), two under Section 10(1) (a), one under Section 1(1)(b), one under Section 9(1) and one under Section 9(2)(a). Three people were charged in Great Britain under Section 1(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has refused an extension of five days to the police for the holding of a suspect under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and, if so, how many.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the charges brought against suspects initially held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, whether any have been dropped before the case was heard and, if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to an unsuccessful prosecution and, if so, which charges; and whether any charges have led to a successful prosecution and, if so, in each case, what was the sentence imposed.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI regret that this information could not be made available44W without disproportionate effort. As a general rule my Department has no information on the progress of charges and could obtain this only by asking the police officers concerned in each individual case to make the necessary inquiries.