§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress achieved by the Anglo-Irish conference.
§ Mr. Tom KingI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if security co-operation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland has improved since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottSince the signing of the Anglo-Irish agreement welcome progress has been made under article 9(a) of the agreement in developing measures to improve cross-border security co-operation. The three joint working parties established by the RUC and the Garcia have now reported and the implementation of their recommendations will increase significantly the ability of the security forces to combat cross-border terrorism. We shall continue to press for the timely implementation of those recommendations and to seek additional ways of promoting still closer and more effective co-operation with the Irish authorities.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what ways the level of violence in Northern Ireland has altered since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.
§ Mr. ScottThe level of Republican terrorism is much the same as it was in the immediate aftermath of the signing of the Anglo-Irish agreement. During this period the security forces have had to contend with serious public disorder associated with Loyalist protests against the Anglo-Irish Agreement which has diverted police resources away from other vital duties especially the fight against terrorist crime. There has been a substantial increase in sectarian violence and vicious campaigns of intimidation against ordinary members of the public by Loyalist and Republican terrorist and paramilitary groups. Despite these great difficulties, and despite disgraceful attacks on its members and their homes and families, the RUC, ably supported by the regular Army and UDR, has continued to uphold the law with great courage and distinction.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, on a monthly basis, whether there has been a change in civil disorder since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.
§ Mr. ScottThe following table details the main categories of civil disorder on a monthly basis from 1 November 1984 to 30 September 1986: 817W
Deaths Injuries Shootings Bombings (including devices defused) 1984 November 6 42 19 6 December 2 74 14 9 1985 January 1 34 19 9 February 20 70 19 13 March 3 25 11 11 April 4 52 21 20 May 6 53 14 9 June 3 105 17 23 July — 182 9 13 August 5 116 21 32 September 3 86 15 44 October 1 91 18 12 Totals 54 930 197 201 1985 November 6 31 11 10 December 2 71 21 20 1986 January 4 71 12 16 February 5 44 23 7 March 3 186 18 14 April 4 110 46 17 May 10 91 23 20 June 1 78 9 9 July 12 354 31 17 August 5 204 33 40 September 6 52 16 14 Totals 58 1,292 243 184
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table detailing the acts of intimidation that have been reported to the police in Northern Ireland on a monthly basis since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.
§ Mr. ScottStatistics on incidents of an intimidatory or sectarian nature were not collated centrally until the beginning of March 1986. Since then they have been kept by four or five-week periods roughly equivalent to calendar months and are as follows:
Period beginning Total 3 March 247 31 March 319 28 April 37 2 June 42 30 June 241 28 July 163 1 September1 99 1 To 30 September
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what improvements the closer cooperation between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, has produced in the situation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Tom KingI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.