HC Deb 19 October 1988 vol 138 c877W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons originally from(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Irish Republic, were in prison in (i) England and (ii) Wales, at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Citizens of Northern Ireland are not separately identified from other citizens of the United Kingdom. However, on 31 August 1988, about 310 prisoners in prison service establishments in England who were citizens of the United Kingdom or whose citizenship was unknown were known to have been born in Northern Ireland. A further three were held in establishments in Wales.

The recording of nationality on the records held centrally for citizens of the Republic of Ireland is not completely reliable because it depends upon the information provided by the prisoner. On 31 August, about 470 prisoners in establishments in England were recorded as citizens of or born in the Republic of Ireland. None was held in establishments in Wales.