§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now make a statement about the qualifying date for the Royal Ulster Constabulary service medal.
§ Mr. PriorThe RUC service medal is unique. No other police force in the United Kingdom enjoys the distinction of such a medal nor is there any precedent for its award. It is an acknowledgement of the difficult and dangerous conditions under which RUC officers have been working and living since 1971, which carry risks of an altogether different order from those faced by the RUC before 1971 or by any other police force in the United Kingdom since then.
Before 1971 the RUC was very much involved in dealing with riots and civil disorders of various kinds. In 602W 1969 and 1970, three members of the force were killed, and a considerable number injured, in the course of duty. In recent years other police forces in the United Kingdom have also had to face civil disorders of a similar kind, and policemen have been killed and injured from time to time in the course of their normal police duties.
Since 1971 the RUC, unlike other forces, has continuously been the target of terrorist attacks which are the consequence of a deliberate policy of assassinations. Members of the force are a principal target by virtue of their occupation. This campaign of terrorist assassination has been recognised as the justification for the award of the service medal. It is not being awarded for death, gallantry or meritorious service, which are already recognised in other and more fitting ways. It follows that the starting date for qualifying service should be related to the year—1971—in which this significant development in terrorist tactics took place.
I am, accordingly, satisfied that the starting date of 1 January 1971 is the correct one.