§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the completion of the programme for the release, under the Good Friday agreement (Cm. 3883), of prisoners convicted of terrorist offences is dependent on progress being made in the decommissioning of IRA weapons and munitions. [HL3218]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Dubs)Under the legislation, the early release of prisoners is dependent upon whether organisations are maintaining complete and unequivocal ceasefires. In making her judgment, the Secretary of State must take into account all relevant factors. As the Secretary of State said, in this judgment she will "pay increasingly close attention to the extent to which an organisation is co-operating with the commission".