Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Danny Kinahan

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

That is an excellent suggestion, which I am willing to look at in detail.

[Danny Kinahan (South Antrim) (UUP)]

Is the Secretary of State for Justice aware of the situation at HMP Maghaberry, where three prisoners have tragically taken their own lives, and will she and her team use all their influence on the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Justice Minister to make sure that this is dealt with immediately?

[Mr Gyimah]

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice said, every death in prison is a tragic one. Such people are in the care of the state, and we have to make sure that we take good care of them in that respect. I am willing to look in more detail at the situation that the hon. Gentleman has outlined.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Danny Kinahan

Tuesday 1st November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

The issue is not just autistic offenders. We know that many people in the youth justice system, as well as in the prison population as a whole, have special educational needs and low levels of literacy. A key step that the Government have taken is moving the relevant education budgets from the Department for Education to the Ministry of Justice. We will be delegating those budgets to prison governors, so that they can spend appropriately on the needs of each prisoner to help them to get the right education so they can get employment.

[Danny Kinahan (South Antrim) (UUP)]

10. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the future of the separated prison regime at HMP Maghaberry.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

I have had no such discussions on this issue. Prisons are a devolved matter and responsibility for HMP Maghaberry lies with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

[Danny Kinahan]

I was hoping that we would not hear about devolved matters now that we are all pulling together more as a Union. This is a vital matter and we must move on. Will the Minister discuss with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Justice Minister how we achieve a level playing field, change the present system and, more importantly, make sure that there are no on-the-run letters in the system?