HL Deb 15 July 1987 vol 488 cc1032-3

2.58 p.m.

Lord Hylton

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given a substantive reply to the report from the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights concerning transfers of prisoners from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, dated January 1986 and printed on pp. 143–168 of the 12th report of the commission, and whether they have any further statement to make.

The Minister of State, Home Office (The Earl of Caithness)

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland wrote to the chairman of the Standing Advisory Commission on 20th January this year, informing him that the Government accepted, with slight modifications, the commission's recommendations on this subject. That letter, a copy of which is in the Library, provides a full statement of the position.

Lord Hylton

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for his reply, which is helpful. May I now ask him whether that decision has led to greater flexibility in the consideration of individual cases?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, each case is considered on its merits. As to flexibility, it is perhaps a little early at the moment to judge.