If he will make a statement on punishment beatings and kneecappings which have taken place in the Province since July.

The most recently published information is set out in the seventh Independent Monitoring Commission report, which shows that shootings and assaults by paramilitaries are at a historic low. Even that low rate remains unacceptable, however, and the Government condemn all such attacks unreservedly.

The Secretary of State will know that it is extremely hard to carry out a kneecapping without the use of a handgun. Does he agree that any punishment beatings or kneecappings related to the IRA that have happened since July will directly contradict General de Chastelain's report of July, and that Sinn Fein-IRA will therefore have proved that they have not decommissioned or put out of use all their weapons?

As the IMC report published last week made clear, the initial signs following the Provisional IRA's statement are encouraging in respect of all its activity, with a notable and sharp decline in all the activity to which the hon. Gentleman referred.