HC Deb 12 November 1980 vol 992 cc246-52W
Mr. J. Enoch Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to publish the security statistics for the third quarter of the current year.

Mr. Humphrey Atkins

The information is as follows:

STATISTICS ON SECURITY
PART I—Statistics of Terrorist Activity
Yearly totals for 1971–79.
Quarterly totals for the first three quarters of 1980.
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 bombs and devices neutralised;
(v) Number of malicious fires;
(vi) Number of armed robberies and amount stolen;
(vii) Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/RUC "R" Army and civilians (including sectarian, interfactional and intra-factional assassinations).
PART II—Statistics of Security Forces' Activity
Yearly totals for 1971–79.
Quarterly totals for the first three quarters of 1980.
Statistics for Security Forces' Activity comprise the following:
(i) Number of houses searched;
(ii) Number of weapons, pounds of explosives and rounds of ammunition found;
(iii) Number of people charged with serious security type offences: (murder, attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, armed robbery and other offences relating to the security situation, e.g. arson, membership of illegal organisations etc.).

STATISTICS ON SECURITY—PART I
Yearly figures
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Shooting incidents … … … … 1,756 10,628 5,018 3,206 1,803 1,908 1,081 755 728
Explosions … … … … … 1,022 1,382 978 685 399 766 366 455 422
Bombs neutralised … … … … 493 471 542 428 236 426 169 178 143
Weight of explosives (in lbs.):*
In explosions … … … … 10,972 47,462 47,472 46,435 13,753 17,596 2,839 5,343 11,180.75
Neutralised … … … … 3,001 19,978 32,450 27,094 11,159 16,252 2,188 5,860.5 4,530.5
Armed robberies … … … … 437 1,931 1,215 1,231 1,201 813 591 439 437
Amount stolen (£) … … … … 303,787 790,687 612,015 572,951 572,105 545,497 446,988 231,250 568,359
Malicious fires† … … … … — — 587 636 248 453 432 269 315
Deaths:
Civilians† (sectarian, interfactional and intra-factional assassinations shown in brackets) 115 322 171 166 216 245 69 50 51
— (122) (87) (95) (144) (121) (42) (14) (33)
Army/UDR … … … … 48 129 66 35 20 29 29 21 48
RUC/RUC "R" … … … 11 17 13 15 11 23 14 10 14
Injuries:
Civilians … … … … 1,838 3,813 1,812 1,680 2,044 2,162 1,027 548 555
Army/UDR … … … … 390 578 548 483 167 264 188 135 153
RUC/RUC "R" … … … 315 485 291 235 263 303 183 302 165
* Estimated weight only. †Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.

STATISTICS ON SECURITY—PART II
Yearly figures
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Houses searched† … … … … 17,262 36,617 74,556 71,914 30,092 34,939 20,724 15,462 6,452
Finds:
Firearms … … … … 717 1,264 1,595 1,260 825 837 590 400 301
Ammunition (rds.) … … … 157,944 183,410 187,399 147,202 73,604 70,306 52,091 43,512 46,280
Explosives (lbs.): … … … 2,748 41,488 38,418 26,120 11,565 21,714 3,809 2,108 1,996.25
ICOS made … … … … … — 75 512 312 11 0 0 0 0
Persons charged with serious security type offences*
31 July-31 December 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Murder … … … … … … … 13 71 75 138 120 131 60 45
Attempted murder … … … … … … 16 85 75 88 121 135 79 39
Firearm offences … … … … … … 242 631 544 460 353 301 225 177
Explosive offences … … … … … … … 86 236 161 100 215 146 79 40
Theft act … … … … … … … 111 186 232 314 188 203 151 159
Other … … … … … … … 63 205 275 97 279 392 249 210
Total … … … … … … … … 531 1,414 1,362 1,197 1,276 1,308 843 670
* These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.
† Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

1980 quarterly figures
January-March April-June July-September October-December
Shooting incidents … … … … … … 180 162 160 —
Explosions … … … … … … … 108 64 78 —
Bombs neutralised … … … … … … 42 47 13 —
Weight of explosives (in lbs.):*
In explosions … … … … … … 2,280 3,793.75 1,362 —
Neutralised … … … … … … 915.75 3,537 1,700.5 —
Armed robberies … … … … … … 121 64 85 —
Amount stolen (£) … … … … … … 46,736 79,814 213,254 —
Malicious fires† … … … … … … 44 53 140 —
Deaths:
Civilians† (sectarian, interfactional and intrafactional assassinations shown in brackets) 16 12 12 —
(9) (8) (5) —
Army/UDR … … … … … … 7 2 3 —
RUC/RUC "R" … … … … … 4 3 2 —
Injuries:
Civilians … … … … … … 125 110 162 —
Army/UDR … … … … … … 25 14 26 —
RUC/RUC "R" … … … … … 20 27 73 —
* Estimated weight only. † Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.
STATISTICS ON SECURITY—PART II
1980 quarterly figures
January-March 1980 April-June 1980 July-September 1980 October-December 1980
Houses searched† … … … … … … 2,336 1,139 413 —
Finds:
Firearms … … … … … … 50 60 55 —
Ammunition (rds.) … … … … … 6,567 6,084 8,248 —
Explosives (lbs.) … … … … … 328.5 1,106.5 53.25 —
ICOS made … … … … … … … — — — —
Persons charged with serious security type offences*
January-March 1980 April-June 1980 July-September 1980 October-December 1980
Murder … … … … … … … 26 11 18 —
Attempted murder … … … … … … 21 7 7 —
Firearms offences … … … … … … 22 19 50 —
Explosive offences … … … … … … 12 19 3 —
Theft act … … … … … … … 39 21 34 —
Other … … … … … … … 46 37 43 —
Total … … … … … … … … 166 114 145 —
*These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years. †Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.