HC Deb 14 March 1988 vol 129 cc444-5W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated percentage of the total arms shipped illegally into Ireland which have been recovered to date.

Mr. Tom King

Since the beginning of 1987, 807 firearms, some 18,000 lbs of explosives, including almost 900 lbs of commercial explosives, and nearly 180,500 rounds of ammunition have been recovered by the security forces on both sides of the border. It is not possible to determine precisely what proportion this represents of the firearms and explosives which have been shipped illegally to terrorists.

Persons serving indeterminate sentences released on licence since 1980
Life Secretary of State's Pleasure
Year Loyalist Republican Others Loyalist Republican Others Totals
1980 1 1 2
1981 1 1 1 1 4
1982 1 5 1 7
1983 1 1 2 4
1984 2 2
1985 2 2 5 2 11
1986 1 2 11+(1) 5 5 114+(1)
1987 8 7 2 4 7 28
1988 (to date) 1 2 3
Totals 17 13 111+(1) 18 15 1 175+(1)
Average years served 11.89 11.25 9.86 10.56 10.47 10.33
1 One person originally released on licence in August 1977 had his licence revoked in February 1983: he was subsequently re-released on licence in October 1986.

Note: The classifications in the table are based on the believed paramilitary affiliations of the prisoners at the time of their arrest.

Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners there are(a) presently serving life sentences and (b) detained under his pleasure in Northern Ireland prisons; how many in each category have been given release dates; and how many in each category are classified as (i) Loyalist, (ii) Republican and (iii) undifferentiated.

Mr. Tom King

The information is as follows:

Persons Serving Indeterminate Sentences as at 4 March 1988 Life
Number
Loyalist 218
Republican 160
Others 32
Total 410
Secretary of State's Pleasure
Loyalist 7
Republican 24
Others 3
Total 34
Overall Total 444