§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland were convicted of membership of illegal organisations in 1980; and how many of these received non-custodial sentences.
§ Mr. Humphrey Atkins[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1981]: The available statistics record only the most serious offence or that for which the offender received the heaviest sentence. Figures recorded on that basis show that 35 persons were convicted in 1980 of membership of a proscribed organisation; 27 of them received a non-custodial sentence. However, a special study covering the period January to October 1980 showed that 54 per cent. of all those convicted of membership of a proscribed organisation received a custodial sentence.