§ Mr. Brittanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors have led him to decide that it is now appropriate to transfer the Price sisters to Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Roy Jenkins:In my statement of 1st June 1974 I said that I believed that it would be possible and reasonable for the Price sisters to serve the bulk of their long sentences in Northern Ireland. I made it clear in answer to Questions on 13th June—[Vol. 874, c. 601–2]—and 28th November—[Vol. 882, c. 207–8]—I envisaged their transfer before the end of 1974 subject to the level of violence and the security situation. These conditions meant that transfer at the end of last year was ruled out. After full consultation my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I agreed that the situation in these respects had become such as to make it sensible for the transfer to take place.