HC Deb 20 January 1999 vol 323 cc487-8W
16. Mr. Brazier

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives; and if she will make a statement. [64870]

20. Mr. Ian Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives; and if she will make a statement. [64874]

24. Mr. Gray

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the decommissioning of terrorist weapons in Northern Ireland. [64878]

Mr. Ingram

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry),Official Report, column 896.

22. Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish targets for the decommissioning of weapons during 1999. [64876]

Mr. Ingram

The Good Friday Agreement committed all the participants to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations. The participants also confirmed their intention to continue to work constructively and in good faith with the Independent Commission and to use any influence they may have to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms, within two years of the Referendum last May and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement.

25. Mr. Hawkins

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will stop the release of terrorist prisoners until the IRA decommission and surrender weapons and explosives. [64879]

Mr. Ingram

The early release of prisoners is an integral part of the Agreement, one which the Government are honouring in full. The Government will not depart from the Agreement by introducing a direct linkage between decommissioning and prisoner releases, which is not in the Agreement nor in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.

The Government have also made it clear that there must be decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. It is an essential part of the Agreement and we are determined to ensure that all sides meet their obligations. The way to achieve decommissioning is for the full implementation of the Agreement by all parties.

29. Mr. Hammond

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice she received from her security advisers at the time of the Good Friday agreement and subsequently concerning the IRA's intentions as regards the decommissioning of arms and explosives. [64883]

Mr. Ingram

In the Good Friday Agreement all parties reaffirmed their commitment to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations. The hon. Member for Mid-Ulster (Mr. McGuinness) was nominated on 2 September 1998 as a contact between Sinn Fein and the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. The IRA know very well that they must deliver decommissioning as part of the Agreement.