§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what contact either she or her officials have had with the South African Government concerning processes for the release of political prisoners; what assessment she has made of the applicability of such processes to Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [29073]
§ Mr. IngramA number of the participants in the political process and others have made proposals to the Government in respect of prisoners. Some of these proposals have cited the process in South Africa as an example and as a consequence the Prison Service requested factual information from the South African High Commission in November of last year. To date no response has been received and no assessment has been made of the applicability of such processes to Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is aware of the significant differences between the situations and does not imagine that solutions adopted in one environment will transfer to another. However, she has said that she is prepared to discuss prisoner issues with the participants in the talks process and to work on an account of what could happen in respect of prisoner releases in the context of a peaceful and lasting settlement being agreed. The request for information regarding the approach to the issue taken in other jurisdictions is fully consistent with that undertaking.
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