Prevention of Terrorism

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 May 1975.

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Photo of Mr William Craig Mr William Craig , Belfast East 12:00, 19 May 1975

My colleagues and I support the extension of this legislation with exactly the same sort of reservations that we held when it was first introduced. Perhaps I should say that those reservations are more strongly held today than they were previously.

We are happy to be able to note that the legislation has been successful in that it has contained terrorism in Great Britain. Contrary to the opinions held by the hon. Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett), I believe that it has reassured the Irish community in Great Britain. It is certain that life for the Irish community would have been very difficult if steps had not been taken to control IRA terrorism in Great Britain.

The Home Secretary has asked us to renew or extend this legislation because of the present uncertain situation. I find that a somewhat unhappy way of defining the situation. We are in considerable difficulty, because we have not had an opportunity to debate the consequences of the so-called cease-fire of the IRA in its Northern Ireland campaign. I believe that the situation is very serious. There is no evidence that the IRA campaign is being called off or that there is any rundown in IRA potential. Indeed, I believe that the strength of the IRA is rapidly approaching the height of 1973, and I have considerable forebodings as to what the late summer or early autumn may hold for us. It would have been valuable if we had been able to debate the situation of the IRA in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain. However, no one can dispute that it is prudent for the time being to extend this legislation.

I am concerned, however, that the orders under Section 8, which have been made in respect of the control of the movement of people, appear in many ways to be unsatisfactory. Certainly in Northern Ireland the land frontier is still very much an open frontier and movement across it is all too easy. People arriving at our ports and airports are going through a form of checking which I find, unfortunately, is all too often slipshod.

Perhaps one of the difficulties is the rather haphazard way of identifying people who are moving. There is a very good case for laying down some standards of identification. Whether it be by passport or by travel permit is a matter of opinion, but there need to be more clearly defined documents of entry. I believe that police forces on both sides of the Irish Sea would agree that for the security forces the observation of movement is very important in the field of intelligence.

The reservations we had when the legislation was first introduced are still held very strongly. We are somewhat reassured in that the Home Secretary said in his introductory remarks that if the legislation is to be substantially renewed in the autumn he will do it by fresh legislation. If that should prove to be the case, I appeal to him to look at the anomalies that exist and, in particular, at the very unhappy situation where IRA terrorists suspected of being a menace in Great Britain can be excluded to Northern Ireland where, apparently, they are free to be a threat to the citizens of Northern Ireland.

The Home Secretary said that 22 people have been excluded from Great Britain to Northern Ireland—another part of the United Kingdom. I cannot understand how anyone can feel that a man who has shown that he is prepared to commit IRA terrorism in Great Britain is safe to be sent to Northern Ireland. I should have thought that he would be an even greater risk in Northern Ireland. We were all very dismayed that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland apparently took no action under the powers he has. It is not surprising that there has been a growing loss of confidence amongst the citizens of Northern Ireland in this respect. The whole question of exclusion orders in so far as they relate to Northern Ireland, and the capacity to make exclusion orders from Northern Ireland, needs to be looked at urgently.

I do not think that there is anything more that I can usefully say, except to ask the Home Secretary to convey our congratulations to the police here in Great Britain on the manner in which they have used these very strong powers. They have shown considerable skill and consideration as they have set about their tasks, and all of us in the House must feel reassured by the extent of knowledge that the police have of the situation.