HC Deb 23 April 1996 vol 276 cc110-1W
Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners are planned to be released from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the next 12 months; and what proportion of these have benefited from the increase in remission rates introduced in the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Order 1995. [25461]

Sir John Wheeler

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from A. D. Shannon to Ms Marjorie Mowlam, dated 23 April 1996: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the Parliamentary Question you tabled relating to the numbers of prisoners it is planned to release from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the next 12 months. The information which you are seeking is contained in the attached table. In brief a total of 513 prisoners of whom 75 are affected by the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Order 1995 are expected to be released from prison during the period 1 May 1996 and 30 April 1997. You should note that this figure does not include 20 prisoners who are in the final stage of release from life sentences and who are provisionally expected to be released during the next 12 months. You should also note that these figures are based on the prison population at the date of writing and cannot take account of the restoration of remission to individual prisoners. I hope this is helpful.

to monitor the quality of water at the point of consumption. [25519]

Mr. Moss

The quality of water supplied to consumers in Northern Ireland by the Water Executive is monitored in accordance with the provisions of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1973, as amended, and the Water Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994. These provisions incorporate EC water quality standards and monitoring requirements. Information about the quality of public water supplies is available on a public register at the four divisional offices of the Water Executive in Ballymena, Belfast, Craigavon and Londonderry. The first annual reports of the quality of the Water Executive supplies, required under the 1994 regulations will be published in June 1996 along with reports to district councils summarising the quality of supplies within their areas.

Dr. Hendron

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what measures are presently being taken to monitor the level and concentration of asbestos fibres in the public water supply system at the point of consumption; [25520]

(2) what measures are presently being taken to monitor the level and concentration of asbestos fibres in the water supply system subsequent to breakages in asbestos cement water mains; [25521]

(3) what measures are presently being taken to ensure that the asbestos cement pipes currently in use are of an acceptable structural integrity, with particular reference to corrosion by the water supply; and how long they have been in existence. [25522]

Mr. Moss

Consideration of a report by the water research centre commissioned by the Department's Water Executive into the use of asbestos cement pipes is nearly completed. I expect in the near future to be in a position to make an announcement about the future use of asbestos cement pipes by the Water Executive.