HC Deb 19 December 1975 vol 902 cc793-5W
Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if convicted prisoners currently enjoying special category status, who continue to claim that

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Security statistics are not kept on a county basis.

The figures of deaths by police divisions are as follows:

status after March 1976, will be eligible for conditional release after completing 50 per cent. of their sentence; and what their position will be if at a future date during their period of imprisonment they decide to abandon special category status.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

It is a prisoner's sentence and not his administrative classification which determines his eligibility for release. This will continue to be the case if the new proposals, which were announced on 4th November 1975, are approved by Parliament.