§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prison establishments in the Province the key objectives reported for the year 1993–94; and what they were for the year 1992–93.
§ Sir John WheelerAll prison establishments in Northern Ireland operate from year to year with the following key objectives:
- (a) to keep in custody, with the degree of security and control considered appropriate by staff, each individual person committed to custody by the courts and to produce or release them as required;
- (b) to provide for all prisoners the necessities of life; including accommodation, food, exercise, health care and freedom to practice religion, and to provide them with the opportunity to engage in constructive activities, such as work, education, training, hobbies and sport, to fill at least the working day;
- (c) to enable all prisoners to retain links with their families and to assist sentenced prisoners in their preparation for release into the community;
- (d) to treat prisoners as individuals regardless of their religious beliefs or political opinions and to offer them the opportunity to serve their sentences free from paramilitary influence, and
- (e) to manage resources economically and efficiently and, in particular, to enhance the morale and abilities of staff by providing the appropriate conditions of service, management structures and training.