§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what operating procedures were issued to prison officers dealing with the prisoners' children's Christmas 1997 parties at HM Prison Maze; in what order prisoners and visitors left after the party; and if this procedure was based on previous practice. [22785]
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§ Mr. IngramIt would not be appropriate for me to answer this now because the security arrangements for the parties are among the matters currently being investigated by a special inquiry team. Their report will be published in due course.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many operators have been trained to use the Rapiscan equipment at HM Prison Maze; and by whom operating instruction is provided. [22783]
§ Mr. IngramA total of 83 staff at HM Prison Maze have been trained in the use of Rapiscan equipment. Training is provided locally by the Training Department.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use is made of the Rapiscan baggage scanner installed at the main gate staff search area at HM Prison Maze; and if every item of(a) staff and (b) official visitors' baggage and property is scanned. [22782]
§ Mr. IngramAll staff and official visitors' baggage must go through the Rapiscan located at the staff search area.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the provision of new cutlery and crockery at HM Prison Maze; and if she will make a statement. [22791]
§ Mr. IngramThe total cost of supplying the metal cutlery and crockery to inmates was £2,800.00. This produces significant savings against the polycarbonate items previously issued as the annual cost of replacement of these was £4,200.00.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what refresher courses in the use of Rapiscan baggage scanner equipment have been provided at HM Prison Maze during the three-year period ending 30 November 1997. [22784]
§ Mr. IngramOnce staff have completed the initial Rapiscan training course, their skills in the use of the equipment are kept up to date through frequent use of it and it is considered that refresher training is not required.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what risk assessment was conducted by her Department prior to the introduction of metal cutlery in HM Prison Maze. [22813]
§ Mr. IngramA full risk assessment was carried out jointly by the Health and Safety Officer and Security Governor prior to the issue of metal cutlery in HMP Maze.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prison officers in HM Prison Maze are fully trained in the operation of walk-through metal detection scanners; and how often refresher training courses have taken place during the past three years. [22779]
§ Mr. IngramRecords are not available to confirm the numbers of officers trained in the use of this equipment, however walk-through metal detection scanners are no longer in use as there are more efficient and effective detection systems now in place.
331W
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how long the two walk-through metal detection scanners in the prisoner search area at the rear of Visits in HM Prison Maze have been inoperative. [22778]
§ Mr. IngramThe two walk-through metal detection scanners referred to have been inoperative for three years. However, staff were issued with hand-held metal detectors from that date.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if there was a full search of HM Prison Maze carried out during the 17 days between the Averill escape and the murder of Mr. Wright. [22789]
§ Mr. IngramA search of HMP Maze was carried out immediately following the Averill escape to ensure that he was not hiding or being hidden. In addition to the search of the residential blocks, all other areas of the prison were searched using trained search dogs, and the external areas were searched by the RUC and Army.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations were made to the Governor of HM Prison Maze on 6 August 1996 concerning difficulties arising from large numbers of prisoners being returned from recreational areas who failed to co-operate with the returning of numbers procedures; and whether action was taken to deal with this problem. [22786]
§ Mr. IngramThere is no record of any complaint being made to the Governor in relation to this matter.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many PTZ spy-in-the-sky cameras are installed at HM Prison Maze; if that which gave coverage of H Block 6 where Mr. Wright was murdered was in full working order at the time of the killing; and if she will make a full statement. [22788]
§ Mr. IngramIt would not be appropriate for me to answer this now as security arrangements are among the matters currently being investigated by a special inquiry team. Their report will be published in due course.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Key Function 1.6 of the Business and Corporate Plan relating to HM Prison Maze has been fully implemented, taking account of the 1994 Woodcock Report and the RUC Review; and if she will indicate the number and description of unauthorised articles found during searches of(a) Loyalist and (b) Republican residential areas during the year to 30 November 1997. [22790]
§ Mr. IngramThe Northern Ireland Prison Service Corporate and Business Plan does not contain a Key Function 1.6. However, the hon. Member may be referring to the Governor/Headquarters establishment contract of which key function 1.6 refers to searching. An effective searching programme is now in place. The information about the seizure of unauthorised articles in the format requested could not be extracted in time to answer this question. However, I will write separately when the information is available.
332W
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use is made of the Rapiscan baggage scanner installed at the visitors' reception area at HM Prison Maze; and if every item of prisoner visitors' baggage and property is scanned. [22781]
§ Mr. IngramThere are standing instructions that all parcels clothing and property entering the prison go through the Rapiscan baggage scanner at visitors' reception.
§ Mr. MaginnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if there are walk-through metal detection scanners installed and in use at the visitors' reception area at HM Prison Maze. [22780]
§ Mr. IngramThere are no walk-through metal detection scanners installed at the visitors' reception area. Staff use hand held metal detectors.