§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she expects the first release of prisoners under the terms of the Belfast Agreement. [41126]
§ Mr. IngramMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland referred to those parts of the Belfast Agreement relating to prisoners in her statement to the House of 20 April 1998,Official Report, columns 479–482, and placed a document containing further details in the Library. If the Agreement is endorsed by the referendums to be held on 22 May, the Government said that they would seek to enact the appropriate legislation by the end of June. The timing of the first releases under the scheme will therefore depend on when the legislation is enacted, the procedures adopted by the review body once appointed and whether the necessary conditions for accelerated release are fulfilled.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 6 May 1998,Official Report, columns 412–13, on prisoners, if she will list or estimate for the 781 prisoners in custody who had been convicted of scheduled offences, how many had no connection with terrorism; of those how many will be eligible for release in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001, (e) 2002 and (f) in the following five year period; and how many of those in each year are serving life or other indeterminate sentences. [41715]
§ Mr. IngramI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 6 May 1998,Official Report, columns 412–13, which indicated that details provided on prisoners convicted of scheduled offences may include offences unconnected with terrorism. Data on the number of prisoners convicted of scheduled offences who had no connection with terrorism are not centrally recorded and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 6 May 1998,Official Report, columns 412–13, on prisoners, if she will list for each of the years from 1998 to 2002 and for the following five years by the categories shown the average number of years served at the expected date of release. [41716]
§ Mr. IngramThe average number of years served at the expected date of release would be as follows:
387W
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the prisoners convicted of terrorist offences who have been transferred to prisons in Northern Ireland from Great Britain in the last three years, indicating(a) the date of transfer, (b) the date of sentence, (c) the length of sentence, (d) the crimes for which convicted, (e) the organisation to which they claimed allegiance and (f) the date of release under the rules governing such release in (i) Great Britain prior to the recent agreement, (ii) Northern Ireland prior to the recent agreement and (iii) under the terms of the recent agreement. [41717]
§ Mr. IngramSixteen prisoners convicted of offences in Great Britain related to terrorism have transferred to Northern Ireland in the last three years. It is not normal practice to disclose the personal details of individual
Offence Date of sentence Sentence Date of transfer to N.I. Transfer status Release under rules applicable in G.B. Release under rules applicable in N.I. prior to Belfast Agreement Conspiracy to cause and possession of explosives 20.1.1995 25 years 27.4.95 Permanent 11.4.2010 12.1.2006 Conspiracy to commit arson 5.10.1993 15 years 20.7.95 Permanent 6.11.1999 23.12.1997 Conspiracy to commit arson 5.10.1993 16 years 20.7.95 Permanent 20.2.2003 21.6.2000 Conspiracy to cause explosions 21.10.1994 25 years 21.7.95 Permanent 12.7.2010 14.4.2006 Causing explosions 16.12.1993 25 years 27.7.95 Permanent 10.10.2009 10.8.2005 Conspiracy to cause explosions 16.12.1993 32 years 27.7.95 Permanent 27.6.2008 27.8.2004 Explosive offences 8.11.1994 25 years 27.7.95 Permanent 25.10.2010 25.8.2006 Murder, attempted murder, explosive offences, firearms offences 11.5.1976 life 18.9.95 Permanent Discretionary Released on life licence on 14.3.1997 Attempted murder, conspiracy to cause explosions 19.10.1993 25 years 14.5.96 Temporary Prisoner subsequently repatriated to the Republic of Ireland Contravention of the Firearms Act 20.12.1995 5 years 12.6.96 Temporary 6.4.1998 129.1.1998 Conspiracy to cause explosions 20.12.1995 20 years 4.7.96 Temporary 19.11.2006 121.7.2003 Acquiring firearms etc. 20.12.1995 10 years 9.4.97 Temporary 8.4.2002 17.8.2000 Conspiracy to cause explosions 27.10.1987 25 years 10.6.97 Temporary 1.6.2003 115.2.1999 Conspiracy to cause explosions 20.6.1988 17 years 10.6.97 Temporary 30.6.1998 121.8.1995 Conspiracy to cause explosions 22.8.1994 25 years 14.8.97 Temporary 7.5.2010 126.12.2005 Conspiracy to cause explosions 2.7.1997 35 years 18.12.97 Restricted 19.11.2019 118.1.2014 Note: Prisoners on temporary or restricted transfer to NI retain their GB date of release. 1 Indicates the date on which the prisoners would have been released had they been transferred permanently to NI.