§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are currently serving prison sentences in connection with terrorist activities relating to the Northern Ireland situation; and what is the approximate cost per week of keeping these prisoners in 565W gaol in (a) Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin Road, (b) the Maze prison, (c) Magilligan prison and (d) prisons in Great Britain.
§ Mr. AlisonPrison statistics do not separately identify all those prisoners serving sentences for offences connected with terrorism. However, of a total of 2,144 sentenced prisoners in custody on 28 June 1981 it is believed that just under 1,600—approximately 75 per cent.—were serving sentences for terrorist-type offences.
The great majority of the prisoners concerned are held in Her Majesty's prison Maze, but there are some in other establishments. The average weekly cost of maintaining these particular prisoners cannot be separately identified, but the approximate average weekly cost in respect of prisoners in the three prisons mentioned during the year 1979–80, and excluding capital costs, was as follows:
£ per prisoner Maze 260 Belfast 185 Magilligan 425 Questions as to the cost of keeping prisoners in prisons in Great Britain are matters for my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland.