Prisoners (Hansard, 30 October 1995)

§ Mr. Madden
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to bring legislation to the House restoring 50 per cent. remission to prison sentences served in Northern Ireland prisons; and if he will make a statement. [40448]

§ Sir John Wheeler
The legislation was introduced to the House on 26 October.

§ Mr. Mallon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which prisons there are prisoners restricted to closed visits; and what are the numbers of prisoners involved. [39417]

§ Sir John Wheeler
Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. D. Shannon to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 30 October 1995:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question relating to closed visits in Northern Ireland prisons and the number of prisoners involved.
Within the Northern Ireland Prison Service there is provision to restrict a prisoner to closed visits where there is no contact between the visitor and the prisoner, usually in order to prevent the passage of contraband. Such restrictions are applied from time to time on the authority of the Governor. As of 25 October 1995 no prisoner is subject to such a restriction.
I hope this information is helpful.

§ Mr. Mallon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many category A prisoners are currently in the prison system in Northern Ireland; and how many are in each sub-category; [38845]
(2) what arrangements are made for prisoners who are restricted to closed visits to have (a) visits from their legal advisers and (b) consular visits. [38842]

§ Sir John Wheeler
Responsibility for the subject has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. D. Shannon to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 30 October 1995:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to two Parliamentary Questions which you have tabled, one relating to visiting arrangements for legal advisers for prisoners restricted to closed visits, and the other in relation to numbers of Category A prisoners in NI prisons.
20W
Visiting Arrangements
In Northern Ireland prisoners who are restricted to closed visits with ordinary visitors or relatives are allowed to receive visits from their legal advisers and consular officials in rooms designated for that purpose. Such rooms do not incorporate glass partitions or other restrictions between prisoners and families.
Number of Prisons in Category A
In the Northern Ireland Prison Service the terms used in determining the security category of a prisoner differ from the terms used in the Prison Service in England and Wales. I have set out below the broad equivalent categories in each service.

Northern Ireland England

Top Risk Exceptionally High Risk Category A

High Risk High Risk Category A/Standard Category A

Medium Risk Category B

Low Risk Category C

Using Northern Ireland terms the answer to your second question is that on 23 October 1995 one Top Risk and 356 High Risk Prisoners were held in Northern Ireland Prisons.
I hope this information is helpful.

Northern Ireland	England
Top Risk	Exceptionally High Risk Category A
High Risk	High Risk Category A/Standard Category A
Medium Risk	Category B
Low Risk	Category C