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Northern Ireland

The decisions of the Chief Constable to call in technical back-up support, to which the hon. Gentleman was referring, would, of course, not change under any arrangements in the future for devolution; those are decisions for the Chief Constable. On the balance to be struck between enabling the police to continue normal policing—again, I pay a huge tribute to the work of the PSNI, as it has ensured that it is, indeed, normal policing that takes place in Northern Ireland today—and addressing the huge risks taken by the men and women of the PSNI, I can confirm that the Chief Constable always has the interest and welfare of the PSNI at heart and I believe that the balance is very carefully struck. That is a matter for the Chief Constable, but I have full confidence in the decisions that he has made. The hon. Gentleman asked whether there had been specific intelligence about the threat last Saturday evening and the connection of any such intelligence to the decision by the Security Service to raise the level of threat last week. The reasons for raising the threat level last week were a carefully considered calibration of the events of the past nine months and the fact that although it is a small number of people who self-style themselves as the Real IRA, there was, none the less, an indication that they were intent on perpetrating further violence and criminal acts. We did not have specific intelligence about a threat last Saturday evening at the base. I am pleased to report to the House that of course the guards were briefed and that special arrangements were put in place at the base following the decision to raise the military threat level in Northern Ireland. Of course, the young men and all those serving there were spoken to and reminded of the change in the security threat level. As for the implications for other military barracks and police stations in Northern Ireland, of course the Chief Constable and Brigadier Norton separately undertake reviews as a matter of course. I am certain that in the light of the tragic events of Saturday evening further reviews will be conducted in the course of this week. I hold regular conversations with the Defence Secretary on matters related to these issues and I am sure that uppermost in his mind will be the need to review the security arrangements for those people serving with the MOD, not only in the light of last Saturday but always. As for the investigation, it is too early for us to speculate as to who might have been responsible. On the subject of who is in charge of the investigation, I reassure the hon. Gentleman and this House that it is being personally overseen by the Chief Constable and those at the highest levels in the PSNI. I hope that sooner rather than later we will be able to bring these people to justice.