Paramilitary Violence (Hansard, 16 February 1999)

§ Mr. MacKay
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if paramilitary beatings are included in the factors which she has to take into account in determining whether a paramilitary organisation has ended violence permanently. [70144]

§ Mr. Ingram
Yes. Parliamentary beatings are a relevant consideration, among others, in coming to the judgment the Secretary of State makes under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.

§ Mr. MacKay
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the factors which she will take into account in determining whether to invoke her powers to review the list of organisations under section 3(10) of the Act in respect of an organisation not specified under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 which is involved in paramilitary beatings, mutilations and shootings. [70135]

§ Mr. Ingram
The Secretary of State is under a duty from time to time to review the list of organisations which are specified organisations. In forming her belief whether the criteria in section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 are satisfied in relation to an organisation not yet specified, she takes into account the factors set out in section 3(9) of that Act and other factors relevant in the circumstances.

§ Mr. MacKay
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports she has received from the RUC on the involvement of members of paramilitary organisations not specified by order under section 3 (8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 in paramilitary beating, mutilations and shootings in Northern Ireland; and what assessment she has made of these reports. [70139]

§ Mr. Ingram
Reports are frequently received from the Royal Ulster Constabulary on these attacks. The Secretary of State takes them into account in assessing the state of ceasefires under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.

§ Mr. MacKay
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what factors she will take into account in determining whether paramilitary beatings carried out by organisations not specified by order under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 constitute a breach of the ceasefires; [70136]
(2) what factors she takes into account in reaching the judgment that a paramilitary ceasefire is complete and unequivocal. [70145]

§ Mr. Ingram
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State takes into account the factors set out in section 3(9) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 and such other factors as are relevant in the circumstances to the judgment she makes, for the purposes of section 3(8) of that Act, as to whether a ceasefire has been established, and is being maintained, which is complete and unequivocal.