HC Deb 27 June 1985 vol 81 cc452-3W
Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners giving as their domicile (a) the Republic of Ireland or (b) Northern Ireland have been permitted to return home to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland on parole for humanitarian reasons in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Mellor

This information is not available.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in British prisons give as their place of domicile (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland; and how many of those prisoners in each category were serving sentences for terrorist-type offences.

Mr. Mellor

The information which is readily available relates to prisoners' place of birth and to terrorist-type prisoners held in category A. At 31 March 1985 there were in England and Wales 702 prisoners who gave as their place of birth the Republic of Ireland and 346 who gave Northern Ireland. Of those, 14 born in the Republic of Ireland and 30 born in Northern Ireland had been convicted of terrorist type offences and were held in category A.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of improved security cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, he will review his policy on the repatriation to the Republic of Ireland for completion of their sentences of prisoners giving as their domicile the Republic of Ireland.

Mr. Mellor

My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in British prisons who give as their domicile Northern Ireland have been returned to Northern Ireland to serve the whole or part of their sentences in each year since 1969; and how many of these prisoners were serving sentences for terrorist-type offences.

Mr. Mellor

The following table gives the number of permanent transfers of prisoners to Northern Ireland from both England and Wales and Scotland since 1974. Reliable information is not available prior to 1974. In addition, there has been a number of prisoners who were transferred temporarily to Northern Ireland for court appearances who subsequently remained there. Domicile in Northern Ireland is normally required before transfer is agreed.

Number
1974 1
1975 *13
1976 0
1977 0
1978 0
1979 1
1980 2
1981 0
1982 0
1983 3
1984 1
* Four of these were category A prisoners convicted of terrorist-type offences.

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