HC Deb 25 July 1989 vol 157 cc604-6W
Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prisoners who were refused transfers to prisons in Northern Ireland in each of the past seven years indicating the grounds for the refusals.

Mr. Hurd

The records available indicate that the numbers of requests from inmates in England and Wales for permanent transfer to Northern Ireland which were refused were as follows:

1982–1; 1983–1; 1984–5; 1985–28; 1986–11; 1987–3; 1988–4.

Information on the grounds for refusal in individual cases is not available, but all decisions were taken in accordance with the publicly stated policy on transfers which was in force at the relevant time. It would not be right to give the names of the inmates involved, many of whom will by now have been released.

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement indicating the various grounds on which prisoners were transferred to Northern Ireland in each of the past seven years.

Mr. Hurd

Prisoners may be transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland if they are required to face trial there, if their presence there is necessary in the interests of justice, or if they apply for temporary or permanent transfer. Applications for permanent transfer have been granted where the inmate meets the criteria for transfer, as agreed between the Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office, in force at the relevant time, or where there are exceptional compassionate circumstances. The criteria for transfer now in force were announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt) on 23 June at column263.

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a list of the names of all prisoners transferred to prisons in Northern Ireland in each of the past seven years, indicating the offences for which they were convicted, the prisons from which they were transferred, their sentences and the time served prior to transfer.

Mr. Hurd

It would not be right to give the names of the inmates concerned, many of whom will now have been released. Information on the periods served by the inmates before transfer is not readily available. The remaining information, which relates only to inmates transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland to serve the remainder of their sentences, is as follows:

1982

No transfers.

1983

  1. 1. Robbery; HMP Liverpool; five years.
  2. 2. Robbery; HMP Liverpool; five years.
  3. 3. Robbery; HMP Lancaster; 14½ years.

1984

1. Theft, grievous bodily harm; HMP Durham three years.

1985

  1. 1. Robbery; HMP Hull; six years.
  2. 2. Sending explosive substances, causing explosions; HMP Blunderston; life.
  3. 3. Manslaughter; HMP Wakefield; life.
  4. 4. Importing controlled drugs; HMP Wandsworth; three years.

1986

  1. 1. Robbery; HMP Wandsworth; six years.
  2. 2. Theft, robbery; HMP Long Lartin; eight years.

1987

  1. 1. Robbery; HMP Long Lartin; 10 years.
  2. 2. Importing controlled drugs; HMP Albany; 14 years.
  3. 3. Murder; HMP Wormwood Scrubs; life.

1988

  1. 1. Assault with intent to rob, unlawful handling, possessing imitation firearm, deception; HMP Frankland; five years.
  2. 2. Wounding; HMP Channings Wood; four years.
  3. 3. Robbery; HMP Haverigg; seven years.
  4. 4. Attempted robbery; HMP Frankland; four and a half years.
  5. 5. Robbery; HMP Durham; three years.

Forward to