HC Deb 09 December 1991 vol 200 cc323-4W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the outcome of the internal inquiry held on 2 May 1991 into an incident involving Ms. Pauline Quinn in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, on 26 April 1991.

Dr. Mawhinney

The inquiry into the enforced full search of Ms. Pauline Quinn in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry on 26 April 1991 found, inter alia, that

  1. (i) the incident and its unfortunate aftermath would have been avoided if Ms. Quinn had co-operated as she had 324 done on other occasions before and after this particular incident;
  2. (ii) in carrying out the search, the officers concerned acted properly on the basis of orders which they were given; and
  3. (iii) no internal search had taken place.

The inquiry also recommended some local procedural changes and these have now been implemented.