§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the arrangements by which residents of Scotland, and foreign nationals convicted of criminal offences in Scotland, may apply for transfer to their home countries to complete their sentences; and how many such transfers have been made, by country, in each of the last five years. [24389]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 2 April 1996]: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Robin Corbett, dated 17 April 1996:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question relating to the arrangements by which residents of Scotland, and foreign nationals convicted of criminal offences in Scotland, may apply for transfer to their home countries to complete their sentences and how many such transfers have been made, by country, in each of the last five years.492WSuch prisoners may apply for transfer under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 which makes it possible in certain circumstances for foreign nationals whose home country has signed and ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons to be transferred back to their own country to serve the remainder of their sentence. No transfers from Scotland under these arrangements, have taken place in the last five years.