asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the types and country of manufacture of the different commercial explosives used by the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland in 1977, 1978 and 1979 to the latest available date, and give his estimate of the total quantity used and defused.

It would not be in the interests of security to attempt to answer the first part of the question.The total amounts of commercial explosive estimated to have been used by terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland or recovered by the security forces in 1977, 1978 and 1979 up to 31 October were 487¾, 92½ and 46½ kg respectively. To a large extent the drastic reduction reflects the successful implementation of controls both in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.