§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patrols were mounted by the police, Regular Army and the Ulster Defence Regiment in Northern Ireland in each of the past four years and the current year to the latest available date; and how many vehicles were checked as a result by each force.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsThe information is not available in the form requested.
The police keep no formal records of vehicle checks since these occur as and when the operational situation demands. Approximate figures for vehicles checked by the Army, including the UDR, from 1976 onwards are as follows:
1976 5,775,000 1977 6,511,000 1978 7,025,000 1979 (to 1 November) 6,984,000