§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what role Ministers of the Northern Ireland Office undertook in relation to the application by convicted prisoner Jason Campbell for the transfer from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland; [13422]
(2) when he was first made aware of the approval of the application to transfer convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland; [13417]
(3) on what dates (a) he and (b) the Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution, were first made aware of the application to transfer convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland; and by whom; [13421]
304W(4) when the Minister of State at the Scottish Office responsible for Home Affairs authorised or consented to the transfer of convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. [13414]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 30 October 1997]Northern Ireland Ministers received confirmation on 25 September that Jason Campbell had applied for a transfer. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland contacted the Minister of State at The Scottish Office, also on 25 September, with a request that the application be dealt with promptly. The Minister of State passed that request on to the Scottish Prison Service. He was told on 4 October that an offer of transfer had been approved. I was first made aware of the application, and the fact that it had been approved, on 5 October.
Ministers have since reviewed the relevant procedures and will in future be notified at an early stage of any applications for transfer between jurisdictions.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps were taken by Scottish Office Ministers to ascertain whether in the case of the application by convicted prisoner Jason Campbell for transfer from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland the criteria for such a transfer were genuinely met; [13418]
(2) on what specific grounds and in relation to which particular criteria he reversed the decision to authorise the transfer of convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. [13415]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 30 October 1997]Investigations showed that Jason Campbell had provided false information on his application form, and I made it clear in my statement of 10 October that the transfer should not have been approved.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) under what statutory provision or regulation the original approval of a transfer for the convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to Maze prison in Northern Ireland was given; and at whose immediate request; [13420]
(2) which Minister or official of the Scottish office first authorised the transfer of the convicted prisoner Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts, within the Scottish system, to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland; and on what date. [13419]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 30 October 1997]The original application for transfer under the Criminal Justice Act 1961 was approved by the Scottish Prison Service under the delegated authority of the Secretary of State on 25 September 1997.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what applications for transfer of convicted prisoners from the Scottish prisons system to the Northern Ireland prisons system are currently under consideration. [13423]
305W
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 30 October 1997]As of 4 November, applications from 3 prisoners have been submitted to the Scottish Prison Service for transfer to Northern Ireland and these will be considered on their merits.