Northern Ireland (Compton Committee's Report)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 November 1971.

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Photo of Mr Roy Hattersley Mr Roy Hattersley , Birmingham Sparkbrook 12:00, 17 November 1971

I personally deplore that. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, West (Mr. Orme) that the crucial change in the attitude of the civilian population towards the Army occurred at the time of internment. That tragic decision—wrong in principle and wrong in practice—is perhaps too late to reverse.

However, it is not too late for the Government to make it clear that they are anxious to establish in the Catholic ghettos of Derry and Belfast that the Army is still basically on the side of the majority of the Catholic population who are on the side of law and order. To do that, I believe that the Army must be rigorous in its pursuit of those who according to the Compton Report are subject to criticism.