HC Deb 18 December 1987 vol 124 c801W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report to show how many persons in Northern Ireland have been killed by firearms in each of the last five years to the current year at the latest available date; of these, how many were killed by (i) legally held weapons, (ii) illegally held weapons and (iii) legally held weapons stolen from their owners; and for each year and category of weapons, how many persons died as a result of action taken by (a) the Army, (b) the Ulster Defence Regiment, (c) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and its reserves, (d) the Irish National Liberation Army, (e) the Provisional Irish Republican Army, (f) the Official Irish Republican Army,

1883 1984 1985 1986 1987 (to end November
Renewals granted 17,016 30,066 22,463 17,933 25,814
Renewals refused 79 88 61 43 47
New applications refused 336 313 326 308 263
New applications granted 3,714 4,011 4,222 3,895 3,211

Information as to the type of firearm requested on each application is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Royal Ulster Constabulary officers and of what ranks and at what annual costs for(a) salary, (b) overtime and (c) other costs attributable to their duties are engaged at Royal Ulster Constabulary headquarters on the processing of firearms certificates at the present time; and what were the comparable numbers and costs five years ago.

Mr. Stanley

[holding answer 15 December 1987]: Five Royal Ulster Constabulary officers are engaged at RUC headquarters on processing firearms certificates. Their ranks are superintendent, chief inspector, inspector, sergeant and constable. The same number and ranks of officers were engaged in this work five years ago. The total annual cost for salaries, including allowances and overtime, in 1986–87, was £115,700. Additional costs for superannuation, accommodation and allied services were £41,900. The corresponding costs in 1981–82 were £84,800 and £20,500.