§ Mr. Spellerasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will permit soldiers serving in Ulster to accept invitations from and mix with the local population whom they seek to protect.
§ Mr. WigginWhenever it is possible soldiers serving in Northern Ireland are allowed to accept invitations from and mix with the local population. However, soldiers on four-and-a-half month emergency tours have little or no time available for off-duty social activities; and, there are small areas of the Province where the level of terrorist threat is such as to preclude such social meetings.