HC Deb 04 July 1995 vol 263 cc157-8W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people who have served prison sentences for terrorist offences have subsequently been convicted of further terrorist offences after their release during the last 25 years, or for as many years as figures are available,. [23367]

Sir John Wheeler

Figures for the reconviction of terrorist offenders are not kept and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, research carried out by the Northern Ireland Office in 1987 found that of those prisoners convicted of terrorist-related offences who were released in 1984, 20 per cent. were reconvicted of scheduled offences and 20 per cent. of non-scheduled offences in the following two years. The reconviction rate for life sentence prisoners is lower. Only two life sentence prisoners convicted of terrorist-related offences have been reconvicted of further offences directly related to terrorism, although others have been convicted of other scheduled offences.

Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners currently serving sentences for terrorist offences would be eligible for release if they could qualify for 50 per cent. remission; how many of those can be categorised as(a) loyalist and (b) republican; and if he will make a statement. [32268]

Sir John Wheeler

Precise figures are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Approximately 400 prisoners are currently serving sentences for scheduled offences which attract one third remission under section 14 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991. Of this 400, between 20 and 30 prisoners will be released by the end of 1995. If the law were changed to restore the rate of remission to 50 per cent. with retrospective effect, between 70 and 80 prisoners would be released immediately and a further 40 and 50 by the end of the year. Such a change would release approximately equal numbers of republican and loyalist over that period.

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