Oral Answers to Questions

Danny Kinahan Excerpts

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?