Prisoners (Special Category Status)

HC Deb 17 April 1975 vol 890 c146W

5. Mr. Mather

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will define the circumstances under which special category status is granted.

Mr. Orme

Special category status may be granted to prisoners who are serving sentences of at least nine months' imprisonment for offences connected with the civil disturbances.

Mr. Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following his statement that the outrages committed in Belfast in recent days are not political, whether he will now accept the recommendation of the Gardiner Committee to admit no new prisoners to special category status and terminate that status for existing prisoners at the earliest practicable opportunity.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I would refer the right hon. Member to my statement to the House on 12th March 1975—[Vol. 888, c. 527–9]—and to the answer given to the Question by the right hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. Craig) on 13th March 1975.—[Vol. 888, c. 797.]