§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the approximate cost of the work still to be carried out at Maghaberry prison;
(2) when the Maghaberry prison is now expected to be completed;
(3) what was the original completion date for Maghaberry prison.
§ Mr. ScottIn 1977 prior to the letting of tenders for the main building programme it was estimated that Her Majesty's prisons, Maghaberry, would be commissioned in 1982. The prisons were taken over from contractors in 1983.
Internal fitting out work is proceeding and some security related work remains to be done. In addition a detailed review has been commissioned to assess what further work is necessary as a result of Sir James Hennessy's report on the security arrangements at Her Majesty's Prison Maze. Until this review is completed it is not possible to forecast accurately the opening date, or to determine the full cost of additional works.