§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many persons are now serving life sentences or detention during the Secretary of State's pleasure in Northern Ireland; and how many in each category have served 10 years or more.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)The information requested is as follows:
- (a) Four hundred and three persons are serving
1362 life sentences; these include 25 who have been given provisional release dates and a further 57 about whom the judiciary are currently being consulted about release; - (b) Thirty persons are detained at the Secretary of State's pleasure, of whom five have been given release dates; the judiciary are being consulted about release in a further nine cases.
Two hundred and thirty-seven life sentence prisoners and 19 "pleasure" cases have served 10 years or more.