HC Deb 28 July 1977 vol 936 cc524-32W
Mr. Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the security statistics for the second quarter of 1977 are yet available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mason

In addition to the information requested, I am taking this opportunity to publish details of convictions obtained during the period January-July 1977. The security statistics illustrate, as I advised the House on 30th June 1977—[Vol. 934, c. 635]—that while terrorist incidents continue to occur, especially attacks on members of the security forces, there has been a reduction in the overall level of violence in the first six months of this year compared with the corresponding period in 1976.

Following is the information:

STATISTICS ON SECURITY
Part I—Statistics of Terrorist Activity
Yearly totals for 1970–76.
Quarterly totals for first two quarters of 1977.
Statistics for terrorist activity comprise the following:
(i) Number of shooting incidents;
(ii) Number of explosions;
(iii) Number of bombs and devices neutralised;
(iv) Weight of explosives in explosions and bombs neutralised;
(v) Number of malicious fires;
(vi) Number of armed robberies and amounts stolen;
(vii) Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/RUCR, Army/UDR and civilians (including sectarian and interfactional assassinations).
Part II—Statistics of Security Forces' Activity
Yearly totals for 1970–76.
Quarterly totals for first two quarters of 1977.
Statistics for Security Forces' Activity comprise the following:
(i) Number of houses searched;
(ii) Number of weapons, pounds of explosive and rounds of ammunition found;
(iii) Number of people charged with serious security-type offences: murder, attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, theft, and other offences related to the security situation (arson, membership of illegal organisations etc.).

STATISTICS ON SECURITY-PART I
Yearly figures 1977 quarterly figures
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 January—March April—June
Shooting incidents … … 213 1,756 10,628 5,018 3,206 1,803 1,908 331 330
Explosions … … 153 1,022 1,382 978 685 399 766 123 104
Bombs neutralized … … 17 493 471 542 428 236 426 71 37
Weight of explosives (in lbs.):*
In explosions … … 746 10,972 47,462 47,472 46,435 13,753 17,596 1,645 956
Neutralised … … 59 3,001 19,978 32,450 27,094 11,159 16,252 800 500
Malicious firest† … … — — — 587 636 248 453 85 77*
Armed robberiest† … … — 437 1,931 1,215 1,231 1,201 889 183 107
Amount stolen … … — £303,787 £790,687 £612,015 £572,951 £572,105 £445,497 £46,536 £265,359
Deaths:
Civilians† (Sectarian and interfactional assassinations† shown in brackets). 23 115 322 (122) 171 (87) 166 (95) 216 (144) 244 (121) 25 (17) 24 (14)
Army/UDR … … 0 48 129 66 35 20 29 8 9
RUC/RUC `R' … … 2 11 17 13 15 11 23 7 6
Injuries:
Civilians† … … — 1,838 3,813 1,812 1,680 2,044 2,162 206 351
Army/UDR … … 620 390 578 548 483 167 264 52 53
RUC/RUC `R' … … 191 315 485 291 235 263 303 22 81
* Estimated weight only.
†Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.

STATISTICS ON SECURITY-PART II
Yearly figures 1977 quarterly figures
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 January-march April-june
Houses searched† … … 3,107 17,262 36,617 74,556 74,914 30,002 34,919 5,481 5,976
Finds:
Firearms … … 324 717 1,264 1,595 1,260 825 837 153 183
Ammunition (Rounds) … … 43,095 157,944 183,410 187,399 147,202 73,604 70,306 10,270 23,407
Explosives (lbs.) … … 798 2,748 41,488 38,418 26,120 11,565 21,714 1,268 1,952
ICO's made … … — — 75 512 312 11 0 0 0

PERSONS CHARGED WITH SERIOUS SECURITY-TYPE OFFENCES*
31st July-31st December1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 January-March 1977 April-June 1977
Murder … … … 13 71 75 138 120 17 40
Attempted murder … … … 16 85 75 88 211 41 33
Firearms offences … … … 242 631 544 460 353 71 98
Explosives offences … … … 86 236 161 100 215 32 44
Theft Act … … … 111 186 232 314 188 42 51
Other … … … 63 205 275 97 279 72 143
531 1,414 1,362 1,197 1,276 275 409
* These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.
† Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.
PERSONS CONVICTED AND SENTENCES IMPOSED AT BELFAST CITY COMMISSION
JANUARY—JULY 1977
Notes on the Tables:
1. The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown and Peace Office in their annual return.
2. The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast City Commission. This covers all scheduled offences tried on indictment.
3. Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney-General certified out of the scheduled mode of trial, i.e. non-terrorist serious offences.
4. Where more than one statutory offence is included under one offence heading the maximum permitted sentence entry is for the most serious offence in the group.
5. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

JANUARY-JULY 1977
Offence Number convicted Non-custodial sentence Less than 5 years 5 years and less than 7 years 7 years and less than 10 years 10 years and over Life Borstal or Training School Maximum permitted sentence
Murder … 47 — — — — — 47 — Mandatory Life
Attempted murder … 24 — — — — 22 2 — Life
Conspiracy to murder … 1 — — — 1 — — — 10 years
Manslaughter … 12 — 3 4 3 — 1 1 Life
Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm 18 2 5 1 — 9 1 — Life
Causing explosion … 60 3 — 2 5 47 2 1 Life
Placing explosives … — — — — — — — — 20 years
Possessing explosives with intent … 28 — 2 3 2 21 — — 20 years
Possessing firearm with intent … 46 — 3 8 7 25 2 1 Life
Use of firearm to prevent arrest … — — — — — — — — Life
Causing grievous bodily harm … 8 6 2 — — — — — 5 years
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm … 3 1 2 — — — — — 5 years
Possessing a firearm … — — — — — — — — 14 years
Carrying a firearm with intent … 11 1 1 5 3 1 — — 14 years
Intimidation … 2 1 — — — — — 1 5 years
Aggravated burglary … 17 3 9 2 — — — 3 Life
Robbery … 96 13 22 19 24 10 — 8 Life
Hi-jacking … 43 10 15 6 7 3 — 2 15 years
Arson:
Setting fire to building … 38 8 15 7 2 5 — 1 Life
Other Arson … — — — — — — — — Life
Malicious damage … 11 2 7 — — — — 2 2 years
Explosives offences … 9 2 7 — — — — — Life
Petrol bomb offence … 16 6 3 — 2 — — 5 10 years
Riot … — — — — — — — — —
Other offences against the State … — — — — — — — — —
Escapes and attempts to escape … 12 1 11 — — — — — 7 years
Assisting escape … 2 — 2 — — — — — 7 years
Assisting offenders … 1 — — — — — — 1 7 years
Other major firearms offences … 79 27 30 10 2 5 — 5 10years
Minor firearms offences … — — — — — — — — 3 years
Membership of illegal organization … 28 3 19 4 — — — 2 5 years
Unlawful collection of information … 2 — 1 1 — — — — 5 years
Illegal training … — — — — — — — — 5 years
Kidnapping and false imprisonment … 5 — 4 1 — — — — Life
Totals … 619 89 163 73 58 148 55 33