HC Deb 30 April 1996 vol 276 cc458-9W
Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the costs of providing library facilities broken down by(a) books and (b) other costs at (i) the Maze prison and (ii) Maghaberry prison, in each of the last five years. [26732]

Sir John Wheeler

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Alan Shannon to Mr. Robert McCartney, dated 30 April 1996: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the cost of providing library facilities at HMP Maze and HMP Maghaberry in each of the last 5 years. The information is as follows:

1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96
£ £ £ £ £
HMP Maghaberry
Books nil nil nil nil nil
Other costs 45,358 44,739 60,713 62,411 64,659
HMP Maze
Books nil nil nil nil 3,019
Other costs 48,628 53,012 59,086 61,942 63,798

The cost of books is normally met by the South Eastern Education & Library Board. The charge of £3,019 to the Prison Service in 1995/96 was to cover the replacement cost of stock damaged during a riot at Maze in March 1995.