§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the breakdown of the number of Protestants and Catholics serving in(a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (b) the Ulster Defence Regiment in each year from 1969 to the present date.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[holding answer 15 December 1988]: Although arrangements are currently being made to introduce monitoring of the religious denomination of members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and its Reserve, the database has not yet been completed. The information requested is therefore not available. However, I understand that currently about 10 per cent. of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and full-time Reserve is believed to be Roman Catholic.
It is not policy to maintain separate statistical records of religious beliefs of Army personnel in any regiment or corps. However, over the last five years it is estimated that the number of Roman Catholics in the Ulster Defence Regiment has formed between 2 and 3 per cent. of that regiment's strength.