§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders were committed in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available; of these how many were the result of terrorist activity; and, of the rest, how many persons were killed by(a) shotguns, (b) handguns and (c) other firearms.
§ Sir John WheelerThe available information is as follows:
613W
Murders committed in Northern Ireland Terrorist Murders Other Murders Total By shotgun By handgun By other firearms By other means 1991 89 0 6 0 19 114 1992 81 5 2 1 19 108 1993 82 0 0 0 19 101
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the persons charged with causing the death of another person by the use of a firearm of any description had authority to possess that firearm, excluding all those cases where terrorists were involved or where the death was caused by a member of the security forces, in each of the last three years.
§ Sir John WheelerThe numbers of persons charged with non-terrorist murders involving the use of a firearm in each of the last three years are as follows:
Number 1991 2 1992 5 1993 Nil In each case the firearm was legally held but not by the person committing the offence. In addition, in both 1991 and 1992, two persons who could otherwise have faced charges committed suicide.