§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attacks were perpetrated upon prison officers in Northern Ireland in each year since 1970; what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case; and what was the compensation paid to the injured officer in each case.
§ Mr. AlisonThis information is not readily available in regard to attacks on staff by prisoners, and could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. In Northern Ireland the most serious attacks on staff have taken place outside prison, and the following table gives the number of such attacks since 1976.
Number of Officers Attacked 1976 8 1977 5 1978 8 1979 17 1980 1 Total 39 Fatalities 1976 3 1977 3 1978 2 1979 9 1980 1 Total 18