§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Scottish Prison Service was first made76W aware of the application for transfer of Jason Campbell from HM prison Shotts to the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. [16206]
§ Mr. DewarThe application from Jason Campbell was made in the first instance to local management at HM Prison Shotts on 10 September. It was sent to Scottish Prison Service Headquarters on 25 September.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if between 25 September and 5 October, transfers of prisoners(a) from Scotland to Northern Ireland and (b) from England to Northern Ireland required the consent of the Secretary of State of both the sending and receiving jurisdictions; [16205]
(2) what factors underlay the delay between the informing of the Scottish Prison Service about the application for transfer of Jason Campbell from HM Prison Shotts to the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland and the informing of the Minister of State at the Scottish Office; [16207]
(3) what factors underlay the delay between the approval by the Scottish Prison Service of the application for transfer of Jason Campbell from HM Prison Shotts to the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland and the informing of the Minister of State at the Scottish Office of this approval; [16208]
(4) what reports the Minister of State at the Scottish Office sought on the progress of the application for transfer of Jason Campbell from HM Prison Shotts to the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland between 25 September and 4 October. [16376]
§ Mr. DewarTransfers of prisoners require the consent of both jurisdictions. They are administered by officials under delegated authority and Ministers would not routinely be consulted or receive reports. The question of a delay in informing Ministers in the case of Jason Campbell's application therefore does not arise. My hon. Friend neither sought nor received reports about the progress of the application between 25 September and 4 October. Ministers have since reviewed the relevant procedures and will in future be notified at an early stage of any application for transfer between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the request from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or representations from the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office to the Scottish Office to deal promptly with the application for transfer of Jason Campbell to Northern Ireland was in accord with normal procedure for such transfers; [16209]
(2) what reasons were given to the Minister of State at the Scottish Office by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 25 September for the request that the application for transfer of Jason Campbell from HM Prison Shotts to the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland be dealt with promptly. [16217]
§ Mr. DewarContact between Ministers is a normal part of the conduct of Government business. In their conversation on 25 September, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland indicated to the Minister of State at the Scottish Office that the transfer of Jason Campbell had importance in the context of the wider peace process.