HC Deb 12 July 1977 vol 935 cc123-4W
Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide figures for each of the last eight years of (a) the number of incidents of violence in Northern Ireland, in which the assailants proceeded from or escaped to the territory of the Republic of Ireland, (b) the number of incidents in which shots or missiles were fired into Northern Ireland from the territory of the Republic of Ireland and (c) the number of explosions in Northern Ireland set off from the other side of the frontier with the Republic of Ireland.

Mr. Mason

Figures in the form requested cannot be provided without disproportionate effort. The number of incidents of terrorist-type activity occurring on or in the vicinity of the border in Northern Ireland since 1971 is as follows:

1971 243
1972 357
1973 266
1974 317
1975 166
1976 192
1977 (1st January to 30th June) 94

No figures are available for the years before 1971.

Incident occurring near the border in Northern Ireland do not necessarily have any connection with the Republic of Ireland.