§ 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 been subsequently charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees3,555 people have been detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 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 288 cases; a further 721 people were detained for 48 hours or less. 2,546 people have been detained pending further examination at ports under the supplemental orders made under the Acts.
147 people detained under the Acts have been charged with offences in Great Britain. Twenty of them have been charged with offences under the Acts. Four of the remainder have been charged with murder; three with attempted murder; one with conspiracy to murder 18 with conspiracy to cause explosions; 12 with unlawful possession of explosives; one with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life; 12 with offences under the Firearms Act 1968; one with causing an explosion; five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue; 22 with theft; eight with burglary; one with causing criminal damage; one with threatening to cause criminal damage; one with attempting criminal deception; one with taking a motor vehicle; one with unlawful wounding; two with possession of drugs; three with wasting police time; one with harbouring a person known to have committed an arrestable offence; four with assault on police; one with being found on enclosed 273W premises; one with possessing an offensive weapon; four with offences under the Road Traffic Act 1972; five with criminal deception; one with obtaining a passport by deception; one with arson; and six with non-payment of fines. In addition, five people have been removed to the Irish Republic, and there charged, three with burglary; one with robbery; and one with theft.
Thirty-five people have been returned to Northern Ireland, and there charged, eight with murder; four with robbery; five with firearms offences; four with unlawful possession of explosives; five with causing an explosion; one with the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle; five with burglary; two with arson; and one with riotous behaviour.
§ 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 ReesTwenty-four people have been charged in Great Britain with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976: three under sections 10(1)(a); two under sections 10(1)(a)and 10(2); two under section 10(1); eight under section 10(1)(b); three under section 1(1)(b); two under section 9(1); two under section 9(2)(a); and two under section 11(1). Four people were charged in Great Britain under section 1(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974. Not all these people were initially detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been deported (a) to Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many have appealed against exclusion orders; and how many appeals have been successful.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees156 exclusion orders have been made under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts274W 1974 and 1976. Notice of the making of an exclusion order has been served on 148 people, 141 of whom have been removed, 116 to Northern Ireland and 25 to the Republic of Ireland. Twenty-four of the 148 made representations objecting to the order. The order was revoked in seven of these cases. One case is still under consideration.
§ 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, on how many occasions.
§ 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; if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to an unsuccessful prosecution; if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to a successful prosecution; and if so, what was the sentence imposed in each case.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesDetails of the outcome of the more serious charges made in Great Britain are as follows:
Charges for offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 (4)
Four people were charged under section 1(1)(b). Three were acquitted, and one was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined £400.Charges for offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976 (16)
Three people have been charged under section 1(1)(b). One was convicted and sentenced to one day's imprisonment and the other two await trial. Two people have been charged and convicted under section 9(1); one was fined £50; the other was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Two people have been charged and convicted under section 9(2)(a); one was fined £100 the other was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.Two people have been charged under sections 10(1)(a) and 10(2). They were convicted and sentenced to eight years' and two years' imprisonment respectively. Two people have been charged under section 10(1). One was convicted and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment; the other was acquitted.275WThree people have been charged under section 10(1)(a) and are awaiting trial. Two people have been charged under section 11(1). One was acquitted but sentenced to two years' imprisonment on another charge; the other was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.Murder (4)
Four people have been charged; three have been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment; in the other case, the charge was not proceeded with.Attempted Murder (3)
Three people have been charged, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.Conspiracy to Murder (1)
One person has been charged and is awaiting trial.Conspiracy to cause explosions (18)
Eighteen people have been charged and fourteen convicted. Two have been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment; one to 15 years' imprisonment; one to 14 years' imprisonment, one to 12 years', six to 10 years', one to seven years', one to five years', and one to four years'. Two cases were not proceeded with, and two are awaiting trial.Unlawful possession of explosives (12)
Twelve people have been charged; one has been acquitted and 10 have been convicted. Two were sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, two to 12 years' imprisonment, two to 10 years', one to seven years', one to five years' and two to four years'. One person is awaiting trial.Conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life (1)
One person has been charged and acquitted.Offences under the Firearms Act 1968 (12)
Twelve people have been charged and convicted. Two were sentenced to two years' imprisonment, two were sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment (suspended) and fined £100; one was fined £150, one £105, one £100, one £60, one £25 and one £20; one was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. In one case the person concerned was admonished and ordered to forfeit his firearms and ammunition.276W
Police Force Number of Detentions Number of Applications for Extensions of Detention England— Metropolitan Police … … … 799 104 Avon and Somerset Constabulary … … … 39 3 Bedfordshire Police … … … 47 0 Cambridgeshire Constabulary … … … 0 0 Cheshire Constabulary … … … 8 1 City of London Police … … … 24 8 Cleveland Constabulary … … … 7 1 Cumbria Constabulary … … … 4 2 Derbyshire Constabulary … … … 1 0 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary … … … 30 5 Dorset Police … … … 16 0 Durham Constabulary … … … 0 0 Causing an explosion (1)
One person has been charged, convicted and sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment.Persons returned to Northern Ireland and there charged
Murder (8)
Eight people have been charged; one was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, and seven are awaiitng trial.Robbery (4)
Four people have been charged; one was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, one was sentenced to a term of borstal training and two people are awaiting trial.Firearms Offences (5)
Five people have been charged and three convicted. One was sentenced to four years' imprisonment (suspended), one to two years' imprisonment (suspended) and one to three months' imprisonment (suspended). Two are awaiting trial.Unlawful possession of explosives (4)
Four people have been charged; in one case, the charge was not proceeded with, and one is awaiting trial. One person was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment and one person was sentenced to nine months' detention.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of arrests and detentions by each regional police force of persons within their area under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; in how many cases applications were made for detention to be extended by a further five days; and in how many cases it was refused.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe total numbers of persons detained in England and Wales under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 for each police force are as follows:
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Police Force Number of Detentions Number of Applications for Extensions of Detention Essex Police … … 37 6 Gloucestershire Constabulary … … 11 0 Greater Manchester Police … … 61 3 Hampshire Constabulary … … 148 67 Hertfordshire Constabulary … … 0 0 Humberside Constabulary … … 5 0 Kent Constabulary … … 46 9 Lancashire Constabulary … … 67 5 Leicestershire Constabulary … … 8 0 Lincolnshire Constabulary … … 2 0 Merseyside Police … … 924 18 Norfolk Constabulary … … 0 0 Northamptonshire Police … … 20 1 Northumbria Police … … 5 0 North Yorkshire Police … … 1 0 Nottinghamshire Constabulary … … 3 0 South Yorkshire Police … … 1 0 Staffordshire Police … … 0 0 Suffolk Police … … 8 0 Surrey Constabulary … … 82 25 Sussex Police … … 31 0 Thames Valley Police … … 17 5 Warwickshire Constabulary … … 0 0 West Mercia Constabulary … … 2 1 West Midlands Police … … 106 9 West Yorkshire (Metropolitan) Police … … 127 7 Wiltshire Constabulary … … 3 0 Wales— Dyfed Powys Police … … 59 0 Gwent Constabulary … … 3 2 North Wales Police … … 53 0 South Wales Constabulary … … 61 2 2,866 284 In addition, 689 people have been detained under the legislation in Scotland, in respect of four of whom extensions of detention were granted. In no case has an application for an extension of detention been refused.