HC Deb 29 November 2000 vol 357 cc635-6W
Mr. Donaldson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received a report from the Chief Constable of the RUC about the recent deaths of Paddy Joe Quinn in Magherafelt and Joseph O'Connor in Belfast; and if he will make a statement. [138284]

Mr. Ingram

The Secretary of State receives regular briefings on security matters from the Chief Constable and his security advisers. It would not be appropriate to speculate who is responsible for these murders as the RUC investigation is still ongoing. If it becomes clear that the IRA were responsible for the murders of Patrick Joe Quinn and Joseph O'Connor it would have a direct impact on the Secretary of State's assessment of the IRA ceasefire.