Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ben Wallace and Andrew Turner

Wednesday 14th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con)]

1. What estimate she has made of the number of people killed by the IRA.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Ben Wallace)]

The authoritative chronicle of troubles deaths, “Lost Lives”, estimates the number of people killed by the IRA between 1966 and 2006 at 1,768.

[Mr Turner]

May I remember Garda Anthony Golden and Kevin McGuigan, both murdered in recent weeks by the IRA, and, of course, my former hon. Friend Ian Gow, who was murdered 25 years ago this week?

We are now told that the IRA has ceased operations. Regardless of whether the IRA exists, does my hon. Friend agree that there is no place in a democratic society for those who undertake criminal or terrorist activities?

[Mr Wallace]

There has never been a place in United Kingdom politics for terrorism, and nor is there a place in UK politics for people who refuse to condemn terrorism.