§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons presently detained at Her Majesty's pleasure in prisons in Northern Ireland were under 18 years of age when their crime was committed; what is the longest and shortest period detained; and, of those so detained, how many were convicted of scheduled offences connected with terrorism.
§ Mr. ScottThere are at present 61 persons detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State. That is the mandatory sentence for murder where the offender was under 18 at the time of the crime. The periods served so far range from three years to 10 years 10 months. All the cases were tried as scheduled offences.