§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the organisations which have had primacy of intelligence gathering operations in Northern Ireland since 1973. [116869]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyI have been asked to reply.
The Army had lead responsibility for intelligence work in Northern Ireland from 1972 to 1976. Otherwise, the police—first the RUC and then the PSNI—have had primacy in intelligence gathering in Northern Ireland.