§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings have occurred(a) in total and (b) in each month since the twin ceasefires; and how many have been committed by each side. [3533]
§ Sir John WheelerThe total number of so-called punishment beatings carried out in the 14 months since I September 1994 is 223. The Royal Ulster Constabulary has attributed these to Republican and Loyalist groups as follows:
Month Loyalist Republican Total September 1994 1 8 9 October 1994 1–13 1 2 3 14–31 3 3 6 November 1994 5 7 12 December 1994 6 6 12 January 1995 6 10 16 February 1995 8 11 19 March 1995 3 7 10 April 1995 2 4 6 May 1995 12 14 26 June 1995 4 13 17 July 1995 11 18 29 August 1995 5 12 17 September 1995 4 12 16 October 1995 4 21 25 Total 75 148 223