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Sport (Spectators)
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reports his Department receives of spectator attendance at (a) premier, first, second and third division association football matches, (b) county cricket matches, (c) super league, first and second division rugby league matches, (d) Courage division 1 and 2 rugby union matches; and if he will make a statement. [6975]
Mr. Banks [holding answer 9 July 1997]: The Department does not receive reports of attendances at these matches, but has access to them when necessary from the governing bodies of the sports concerned.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Prisoner Transfers
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what monitoring arrangements exist at the embassy in Dublin concerning prisoner transfer agreements with the Irish Government; and if she will make a statement about early releases to date. [10475]
Mr. Ingram: There have been no prisoner transfers from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland; nor have there been any requests for such transfers.
Postal and Proxy Votes
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals listed on (a) the postal vote and (b) the proxy vote permanent register obtained postal and proxy votes for each election since 1992. [8691]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The following is the information:
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 515
| Year | Date of election | Type of election | Postal | Postal proxy | Proxy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 9 April | Parliamentary General | 12,980 | 17 | 2,521 | 15,518 |
| 1993 | 19 May | Local Government | 8,259 | 28 | 1,642 | 9,929 |
| 1994 | 9 June | European Parliamentary | Not available | |||
| 1996 | 30 May | Northern Ireland Elections | 14,377 | 21 | 1,769 | 16,167 |
| 1997 | 1 May | Parliamentary | 15,236 | 36 | 1,985 | 17,257 |
| 1997 | 21 May | Local Government | 19,959 | 33 | 2,378 | 22,370 |
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 517
Mr. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list by constituency the number of applications signed by individual doctors and the reason given for (a) postal votes and (b) proxy votes for the 1997 general election. [8693]
Mr. Murphy: Records of absent vote applications are not currently stored in a way that would readily provide information on reasons for application and individual doctors attestations.
The chief electoral officer has instituted a review of all absent vote applications for the last three elections in Northern Ireland and any relevant conclusions of the report may be published in due course.
Mr. Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for (a) postal votes and (b) proxy votes have been refused for each election since 1992. [8692]
Mr. Murphy:
Until 1996, absent vote applications were dealt with by area offices and as a consequence no records are available for the numbers of applications refused in previous years. For the 1997 elections, a central absent voting unit was established.
| Reason | Number |
|---|---|
| Applicant not registered elector | 320 |
| Received too late | 300 |
| Insufficient or no reason | 162 |
| Dual/treble attestation | 126 |
| Not attested or not properly attested | 145 |
| Not signed | 66 |
| Medical reason, non-physical illness | 98 |
| Medical (not properly completed) | 64 |
| Proxy information not completed | 9 |
| Letters returned by Post Office | 5 |
| Signature not accepted | 3 |
| Too late, received after "late" closing date | 3 |
| No date of election given | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | 115 |
| Total | 1,418 |
| Reason | Number |
|---|---|
| Applicant not registered elector | 275 |
| Received too late | 398 |
| No reason given | 69 |
| Insufficient information | 88 |
| Not attested | 128 |
| Dual/treble attestation | 112 |
| Not signed | 121 |
| Medical Non-physical illness | 69 |
| Miscellaneous | 232 |
| Total | 1,492 |
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 518
Mr. Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list, by constituency, the number of individuals listed on the permanent list for (a) postal votes and (b) proxy votes. [8690]
Mr. Murphy: The information is as follows:
| Constituency | Proxy | Postal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast East | 114 | 572 | 686 |
| Belfast North | 101 | 572 | 673 |
| Belfast South | 98 | 531 | 629 |
| Belfast West | 80 | 430 | 510 |
| East Antrim | 189 | 372 | 561 |
| East Londonderry | 46 | 1,254 | 1,300 |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 293 | 3,270 | 3,563 |
| Foyle | 116 | 993 | 1,109 |
| Lagan Valley | 118 | 916 | 1.034 |
| Mid Ulster | 77 | 2,529 | 2,606 |
| North Antrim | 123 | 760 | 883 |
| North Down | 150 | 554 | 704 |
| Newry and Armagh | 77 | 1,656 | 1,733 |
| South Antrim | 180 | 450 | 630 |
| South Down | 264 | 1,909 | 2,173 |
| Strangford | 136 | 705 | 841 |
| Upper Bann | 75 | 1,101 | 1,176 |
| West Tyrone | 253 | 2,087 | 2,340 |
| Total | 2,490 | 20,661 | 23,151 |
Plastic Baton Rounds
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the alleged injuries caused by plastic baton rounds since 1981 were (a) alleged to have been caused by rounds fired from a distance of less than 20m and (b) alleged to be injuries to the groin, buttocks or higher body parts. [9922]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 24 July 1997]: The information is not held in the form requested. However, the Royal Ulster Constabulary has supplied the following:
| Deaths | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|
| 1981(19) | 7 | 216 |
| 1982 | 1 | 4 |
| 1983 | -- | 8 |
| 1984 | 1 | 41 |
| 1985 | -- | 12 |
| 1986 | 1 | 59 |
| 1987 | -- | 40 |
| 1988 | -- | 22 |
| 1989 | 1 | 25 |
| 1990 | -- | 12 |
| 1991 | -- | 10 |
| 1992 | -- | 8 |
| 1993 | -- | 14 |
| 1994 | -- | 13 |
| 1995 | -- | 7 |
| 1996 | -- | 73 |
| 1997(20) | -- | 3 |
| Total | 11 | 667 |
(19) Figures do not include five persons allegedly killed by baton rounds prior to 1981.
(20) To 30 June.
Total deaths allegedly caused by baton rounds 1972 to date: 16.
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 519
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders, maimings and beatings described as punishment beatings were carried out by the Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland (a) following the Provisional IRA's ceasefire declaration from midnight on 31 August 1994 to 6 pm on 9 February 1996 and (b) during the Provisional IRA's renewed terrorist campaign from 6 pm on 9 February 1996 to midday on 20 July 1997, on which their latest ceasefire declaration was announced. [10565]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 25 July 1997]: The information is not available in the format requested and would incur disproportionate cost to provide. The table, however, illustrates the number of deaths that have occurred directly due to the security situation and those casualties attributed to paramilitary style attacks by "Republican" organisations. The Royal Ulster Constabulary uses the term "paramilitary assaults" as opposed to punishment beatings as the latter tends to imply a certain justification for these appalling offences.
| Number of deaths | |
|---|---|
| 1 September 1994 to 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) | (21)10 |
| 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) to 20 July 1997 (1200 hours) | 11 |
(21) This figure includes one RUC officer who died as a result of injuries sustained in 1973.
| Number of casualties | |
|---|---|
| Casualties as a result of paramility style assaults | |
| 1 September 1994 to 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) | 183 |
| 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) to 20 July 1997 (1200 hours) | 209 |
| Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings | |
| 1 September 1994 to 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) | Nil |
| 9 February 1996 (1800 hours) to 20 July 1997 (1200 hours) | 18 |
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