§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners since 1968 have gone on hunger strike; and, in respect of those prisoners (a) what are their names, (b) how long they were on hunger strike and (c) whether any of them died on hunger strike.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsPrison records do not enable an accurate statement, or even a reliable estimate, to he made of the number of prisoners who have refused food during the last 12 years. In the great majority of cases the prisoners concerned have refused food for only a few days.
The longest hunger strike of recent years took place this summer and lasted 63 days. No prisoner in Northern Ireland has died as a result of a hunger strike.
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in respect of the seven men currently on hunger strike in the Maze prison, Northern Ireland, what was (a) the date upon which they first went on hunger strike, (b) their medical condition at the time, including specifically whether they were suffering from any medical complaints and (c) whether the fact that they are not wearing prison uniform will affect their entitlement to be seen and treated by qualified medical staff and specifically whether they will be required to put on any uniform in order to see qualified staff.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsThe seven prisoners first refused food on Monday 27 October 1980. It is not the practice to give information about the medical condition of individual prisoners, but all seven were in good general health when they started their hunger strike. They are not required to put on prison uniform before their daily visit by the doctor.