§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the internal Housing Executive memorandum to Mr. J. Lazenbatt, Director of the Housing Executive, dated 21st February 1975, which stated that the Minister responsible for housing in Northern Ireland instructed the Housing Executive that no effort should be spared to ensure that there would be no redundancies in the work force of Provisional IRA men employed on the Moyard and Whiterock sites, was made available to the police investigation; why the Minister responsible intervened to give this direction and what were the political considerations referred to in the memorandum; and in what way the keeping of the Provisional IRA men in Housing Executive employment had to do with the negotiations of the Provisional IRA cease-fire.
§ Mr. CarterThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning made available to the Director of Public Prosecutions and to the police various papers relevant to the Moyard and Whiterock schemes. These included an470W internal Northern Ireland Housing Executive Memorandum dated 21st February 1975 and addressed to Mr. J. Lazenbatt, Director of Housing Management. That memorandum does not make any statement in the terms used in the Question. At no time has any Minister given a direction to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to maintain in employment members of the Provisional IRA.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the police inquiries into cases of fraud on Housing Executive sites and contracts will be completed.
§ Mr. CarterThis is a matter for the police.