§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Jane Kennedy)Following the closure of Belfast and Maze Prisons and the release of prisoners under the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland Prison Service established a project to develop a Strategic Estate Plan for a 20-year period commensurate with the Prison Service's Statement of Purpose, and its Vision and Values, as set out in its Corporate and Business Plan.
That project is now complete and NIPS has concluded that it should retain and progressively upgrade the existing three sites, with the possibility of females being moved to Hydebank Wood being the subject of a feasibility study.
Copies of the report can be obtained through the Northern Ireland Prison Service website at www.niprisonservice.gov.uk.