Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now publish the most recent security statistics in the usual form, showing also the statistics for the month of January.
§ Mr. MasonFor a quarterly breakdown of statistics for 1977, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the 91W right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell) on 1st February 1978.—[Vol. 943, cols 236–242] The statistics for January 1978 are as follows:
Terrorist Activity Shooting Incidents 64 Explosions 71 Bombs neutralised 33 Weight of explosive (in lbs.)* In explosions 193 Neutralised 816 Malicious fires 18 Armed Robberies 49 Amount Stolen £21,728 * Estimated figure Deaths Civilian (Sectarian and Interfactional Assassinations shown in brackets) 1(1) Army/UDR 1 RUC/RUC 'R' 0 Injuries Civilians 27 Army/UDR 26 RUC/RUC 'R' 17 (ii) Security Forces Activity Houses Searched 1,711 Finds Firearms 13 Ammunition (rounds) 1,430 Explosives (lbs.) 1 Persons Charged with Serious Security-type Offences Murder 4 Attempted Murder 6 Firearms Offences 10 Explosives Offences 13 Theft Act 4 Others 9 Total 46
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been killed, by whatever cause, through violence attributable to the troubles in Ulster for each year from 1965.
§ Mr. MasonStatistics for deaths attributable to the present emergency are maintained from 1969 as follows:
1969 13 1970 25 1971 174 1972 467 1973 250 1974 216 1975 247 1976 297 1977 112 1978 (1 January—12 February) 8
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the period for which official figures were published, how many deaths were attributable to 92W sectarian assassinations (a) by the IRA, and (b) by Protestant paramilitary groups.
§ Mr. MasonFor figures of the annual totals of deaths resulting from sectarian and interfactional violence, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell) on 1st February 1978.—[Vol. 943, cols. 236–242.] It has been the Government's consistent practice not to publish any breakdown of statistics on a sectarian basis.