Crumlin Road Prison (Hansard, 16 July 1981)

§ 3. Dr. Mawhinney
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in the efforts to recapture those involved in the breakout from the Crumlin Road prison on 10 June.

§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. Michael Alison)
The Royal Ulster Constabulary is making every effort to recapture these men, but it would not be in the public interest to say how it is going about it. At least one of the eight is now thought to be in the Republic of Ireland, where I am confident that the authorities will continue their efforts to bring him and any of the others who may be in their jurisdiction to justice.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply, but is he content in the knowledge that one or more of those escapees seems to be able to live and move freely and with impunity in the Republic? If he is not content in that knowledge, what steps are he and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State taking to end that position?

§ Mr. Alison
As far as I am aware, it is only hearsay that one or more of those escaped prisoners has been sighted in the Republic. I am confident that if those men were openly moving around in the Republic, they would be arrested and brought to trial.

§ Mr. McCusker
If the escaped terrorist in the Republic is apprehended there, what charges will be brought against him under the extra-territorial legislation?

§ Mr. Alison
I believe that I am right in saying that the Republic's Extra-Territorial Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act would be implemented and activated by the crimes which the men concerned committed—that is to say, breaking out of a Northern Ireland gaol.

§ Rev. Ian Paisley
Is the Minister aware that one of those escapees appeared publicly at a press conference in the Republic? Is it not his duty to put his extra-territorial powers into operation to have that man arrested and brought to trial, even in the Republic?

§ Mr. Alison
It would be the responsibility of the authorities in the Republic, if the man appeared in public, to arrest him under the appropriate legislation. I have heard reports that he has appeared, but not in such a way as to make it possible for him to be apprehended at that moment.

§ Mr. Concannon
Will the Minister say something not only about the recapture of those men but about the inquiry into the prison break? There are all sorts of rumours, and when rumours start to emanate from Northern Ireland they can quickly gather ground. What stage has the inquiry reached? Will the Minister scotch some of the rumors about the lack of security in the prison at the time of break-out, because those rumouurs are spreading? At the same time, to show the even-handedness of the Government, it is as well to state that there have been other finds of arms, not only at the Divis flats but at the UDA headquarters. There was to be an inquiry into that. How far has it developed?

§ Mr. Alison
I regret that I cannot reply to the latter question without notice, but I shall see that the right hon. Gentleman is informed. The inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the escape is being conducted as rapidly and as vigorously as possible. The Chief Inspector has completed his local inquiries, having extensively interviewed and examined the situation in the prison concerned. He has now left Northern Ireland and we hope to have his report by the end of the month at the latest.