HL Deb 19 March 1996 vol 570 c98WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty" s Government:

Whether they will list by name those prisoners convicted of terrorist offences who were released from Her Majesty's prisons during the period of the IRA ceasefire, showing in respect of each the date and nature of the offence, the date of conviction and the length of original sentence and the date of release.

Viscount Long

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 to Lord Marlesford from the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Mr. A. D. Shannon, dated 14th March 1996.

I have been asked to reply to the parliamentary Question you tabled relating to the numbers of prisoners convicted of terrorist offences who were released from Her Majesty's prisons during the period of the IRA ceasefire.

Since September 1994 more than 2,000 prisoners have been released from prisons in Northern Ireland and the information you are seeking could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In any case, it is not our policy to release details about individuals.