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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals have been (a) charged, (b) summarily convicted and (c) convicted on indictment under section 2 or the equivalent section of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 relating to membership of a proscribed organisation in each year since enactment; what percentage of those convicted in each year received a prison sentence; and what percentage of those were sentenced to a term of less than one year. [56320] Mr. Ingram: [holding answer 3 November 1998]: The following table illustrates the information as requested. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Persons: Year Proceeded against Found guilty Sentenced to Percentage where imprisonment sentence less than one year 1989 25 23 18 0 1990 33 30 24 0 1991 19 16 10 0 1992 16 15 10 0 1993 28 24 21 0 1994 19 17 17 0 1995 28 24 17 0 1996 7 6 6 0 1997 6 3 3 0 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. Persons were sentenced for offences including membership of a proscribed organisation--not membership only--and hence the length of sentence in each case was more than one year. 2. The figures may include suspended sentences. 3. Persons have been charged with membership of a proscribed organisation based on evidence to substantiate that charge, e.g. a more serious charge of murder.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

319 c32-3W; 56320

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Northern Ireland Membership Proscribed organisations Prison sentences Terrorism

Contains statistics

Yes