§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border security arrangements.
§ Mr. Tom KingBoth this Government and the Irish Government are committed to the development of security co-operation and are at one in their determination to root out terrorism and the evil that it brings.
Practical security co-operation is primarily a matter for the two police forces involved, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Garda Siochana, supported as necessary by members of the armed forces. We shall continue to look for ways of developing further the cooperation that already exists.
Persons convicted of scheduled murder and sentenced to life/pleasure between the ages of 16 and 21 years Loyalist Republican Others Total Year/Age 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 1971 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 1972 — — — 1 1 — — 2 — — — — — — 1 5 1973 — 1 2 — — 2 2 4 1 2 — 1 — — — 15 1974 1 2 3 5 3 4 1 2 1 3 — — — — — 25 1975 2 6 7 6 2 2 7 5 2 1 — — 3 1 — 44 1976 3 2 2 — 2 5 6 4 6 6 — — — 2 1 39 1977 1 1 2 3 3 3 2 6 7 2 — — — — — 30 1978 — — 3 1 — 2 — 3 3 — — — — — — 12 1979 — 1 — 1 2 — 2 1 — 2 — — — — — 9 1980 — — 2 2 3 — — 1 — 2 — — — — — 10 1981 — 2 — 1 — — 1 — 2 — — — — — — 6 1982 — — — 1 3 — — — 1 4 — — — — — 9 1983 — — 1 — 3 — — — — — — — 1 — — 5 1984 — — — — 2 — — 2 2 — — 1 — — — 7 1985 — — — — 2 — — — — 1 — — — 1 — 4 1986 — — — — 1 — — — — 1 — — 1 — — 3 1987 — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — 1 1988 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Totals 7 15 22 21 27 18 21 30 25 25 — 2 5 5 2 225 Average years served 10.11 10.67 11.26 11.04 8.07 11.65 11.20 11.34 9.88 9.37 — 70.8 8.73 9.7 9.91 — Notes:
1. This table does not include 7 prisoners who were under 16 years at date of crime.
2. The classifications in the table are based on the believed paramilitary affiliations of the prisoners at the time of their arrest.
3. The average years served takes account of the periods served (a) by those who have been released on licence and (b) those still in custody.