HC Deb 16 January 2002 vol 378 cc315-6W
12. Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the terrorist weapons which have been decommissioned. [25604]

13. Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports he has received from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning on the level of arms and explosives put permanently beyond use. [25605]

Jane Kennedy

The IICD reported on 23 October 2001 that it had witnessed an event, which it regarded as significant, in which the IRA had put a quantity of arms completely beyond use.

Also, on 18 December 1998, the Loyalist Volunteer Force decommissioned what the IICD described as a "small but significant" consignment of weaponry.

The Commission listed the arms as follows:

  • 2 Madsen 9 mm sub-machine guns
  • 1 Sten 9 mm Mark 2 sub-machine gun
  • 1 modified Lanchester 9 mm Mark 1 sub-machine gun
  • 1 Steyr 7 mm rifle (1904)
  • 1 homemade .22 calibre rifle
  • 1 sawn-off double-barrelled 12 gauge shotgun
  • 1 FN Browning 9 mm semi automatic pistol
  • 1 FN 7.65 mm semi-automatic pistol
  • 31 12 gauge magnum 00 buckshot shotgun shells
  • 23 .38 calibre semi wad-cutter cartridges
  • 45 .556 calibre cartridges
  • 280 9 mm cartridges
  • 5 electrical detonators
  • 2 pipe bombs
  • 2 weapons stocks
  • 5 assorted magazines.

15. Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date he expects the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives to be completed. [25608]

Jane Kennedy

Future decommissioning events are a matter for the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and the representatives of the various paramilitary organisations.

Decommissioning is only one part of the Good Friday agreement of which we can now say that implementation of every aspect is under way. Full implementation of the Good Friday agreement in all its aspects is a task that will take some time to accomplish.

21. Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in decommissioning; and if he will make a statement. [25650]

Jane Kennedy

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron) today,Official Report, columns 281–82W.