§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland prison situation.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsThe Government's policy on the regime in Northern Ireland prisons was set out in detail136W in my statement of 4 December. That policy remains unchanged. The Government will not accord "political" status to men convicted by the courts of acts which they claim were committed for political motives. In taking this stand the Government, backed by both sides of the House, have enjoyed widespread support from the community in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain, from the United States and from fellow members of the European Community.
The Government are also committed to the maintenance of a humane prison regime and to its improvement, where appropriate, and where the requirements of security and the availability of resources permit. They have shown by their actions that they take account of responsible views—for example, those of the European Commission on Human Rights. They have shown by the access they have afforded to the Maze prison and by the information that they have made available about the regime that they have nothing to hide. Details of that regime were laid in the Library of the House of Commons last December and they have been available ever since. In view of the continuing interest in Northern Ireland prison conditions, I have recently had prepared in a more compact form the information assembled last December and it is now being published. A copy is being laid in the Library of the House and individual copies sent to Members.
The Government have made it clear that they are opposed to violence in whatever form, including that practised by the hunger strikers and the other protesting prisoners against themselves. It remains their hope that: the time has come to end the prison protests so that all prisoners can take advantage of what the regime affords.
The situation at the Maze is that four prisoners remain on hunger strike. They are all in the prison hospital. Their condition remains as I described it yesterday in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Mr. Roberts)—[Vol. 3, c. 125.]. 418 other prisoners at the Maze are continuing to refuse to work, take exercise or wear prison-supplied civilian clothing, and six more otherwise conforming prisoners are refusing to work in sympathy with the hunger strike 29 women prisoners in Armagh are refusing to work.
Yesterday, the Maze prison authorities were asked by the protesting prisoners to issue beds, chairs and lockers. Such furniture has not been issued since the dirty protest ended on 2 March because of the risk that, as on 27 January and on two previous occasions, it might be destroyed and used to cause serious damage to the cells. Furniture is being issued to prisoners who now say that they do not intend to abuse it. The process will start today and resume after Easter.