§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the costs of terrorist prisoners transferred from prisons in Great Britain to those in Northern Ireland will fall upon the vote of the Home Office or that of the Northern Ireland Office; and
Whether terrorist prisoners transferred from prisons in Great Britain to prison in Northern Ireland will remain within the jurisdiction of the Home Office or be transferred to that of the Northern Ireland Office; and
Whether they will list any changes in the conditions of terrorist prisoners consequent upon their transfer from prisons in Great Britain to those in Northern Ireland.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)Responsibility for the release, including the temporary release, of prisoners who are temporarily transferred from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland will remain that of the sentencing jurisdiction. Only in the event of a prisoner being permanently transferred to Northern Ireland will responsibility for the prisoner's release pass to that jurisdiction.
With the exception of arrangements relating to release, prisoners who are temporarily transferred to Northern Ireland will be subject to the normal regime operated by the establishment in which they are temporarily detained. This will be determined with regard to their security classification.
The costs of accommodating prisoners who are temporarily in Northern Ireland, other than the costs of providing their escort there, fall on the vote of the Northern Ireland Prison Service.