§ Mr. Bellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the number of allegations of police maltreatment of prisoners held in their custody under the emergency provisions in Northern Ireland during the years 1975 through 1985 on a year-by-year basis; how many investigations were held and how many of the allegations were upheld during the same years, again on a year by year basis.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1987, c.586]: The information is not available in the form or for the period requested. However, the total number of complaints as recorded by the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland alleging irregularities of procedures by persons arrested and held in custody under the emergency legislation is as follows:
Number 1979 220 1980 133 1981 81 1982 162 1983 189 1984 220 1985 232 These figures represent around 10 per cent. of the total number of all complaints recorded by the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland during the period.
Detailed statistics from the Police Complaints Board on the outcome of the cases are available only from 1984. They are as follows:
226W
1984 1985 Investigations completed 62 75 Withdrawn by complainant 29 16 Investigations incomplete because of non co-operation of complainant 129 141 Total 220 232 In all cases complaints are investigated by the RUC. in addition, the papers are forwarded to the Police Complaints Board for consideration of disciplinary action. Disciplinary action was not considered appropriate in any of these cases.