§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are currently serving prison sentences in Northern Ireland; what percentage of these are serving sentences for terrorist and related offences; and what percentage of the terrorist offences category are (i) republican and (ii) loyalist.
§ Mr. StanleyOn 15 May there were 1,442 persons serving prison sentences in Northern Ireland. Of these 72.1 per cent. were serving sentences for scheduled offences as defined in the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. An unknown number of these offences would however have been treated as non-scheduled at court after being certified out by the Attorney-General. Of the persons serving sentences for scheduled offences, based on their believed paramilitary affiliations, 44.7 per cent. are classified as Republican and 33.3 per cent. as Loyalist. These figures do not reflect those prisoners currently held on remand or awaiting trial, nor those persons ordered to be detained in a young offenders centre.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many female prisoners are currently serving sentences in Northern Ireland; and what percentage are serving sentences for terrorist offences.
§ Mr. StanleyOn 15 May there were 19 women serving prison sentences in Northern Ireland. Of these 14 (73.7 per cent.) were serving sentences for scheduled offences as defined in the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. Some of these offences might however have been treated as non-scheduled at court after being certified out by the Attorney-General. These figures do not reflect those prisoners currently held on remand or awaiting trial, nor those persons ordered to be detained in a young offenders centre.