§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary for Scotland (1) the total number of prisoners in Scottish prisons who have been sent by the Northern Government of Ireland; and whether any representation has been made to that Government as to the removal to Ireland or the release of those prisoners;
(2) the number of prisoners in Scottish prisons which has been transferred there by the Government of Northern Ireland; who bears the cost of maintaining them; and upon which Vote the sum involved will appear?
§ Sir J. GILMOUR71 persons sentenced to penal servitude by Courts of Northern Ireland have been detained in Scottish prisons on behalf of the Government of Northern Ireland. Of this number 36 remain under detention in Scotland at present, the others having been liberated on licence in the ordinary course by the Government of Northern Ireland. I have no information about any representations having been made to the Government of Northern Ireland on the subject of the removal to Ireland or release of these prisoners. The cost of maintaining these prisoners is met out of the Prisons (Scotland) Vote, and the whole cost is 1147W recovered from the Government of Northern Ireland as an appropriation-in-aid of the Vote.