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NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Act 1995
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): On 10 January 2003, following the receipt of information from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, I exercised my powers under section 1(3) of the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Act 1995 and revoked the licence granted to John James Adair. He has since been arrested and returned to prison.
I revoked his licence because it appeared to me that his continued liberty would present a risk to the safety of others and that he was likely to commit further offences. Unless I exercise my powers under section 1(5) of the 1995 Act, which I have not plans to do, he will remain in prison until 13 January 2005.
I have put in place additional safeguards for persons whose licences are revoked. These include the appointment of independent Commissioners, who hold or have held judicial office, to consider and advise me upon any representations made by recalled prisoners. I will also make available funds to meet the reasonable legal expenses of prisoners in connection with making such representations whether in writing or at any oral hearing the Commissioner may decide is necessary. Further details of the procedures and how they will operate will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
These additional safeguards will, remain in place until superseded by amending legislation and I commit the Government to them until that legislation is in place.
Northern Ireland Prison Service
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.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Blunkett): I have today placed in the Library a copy of a report entitled XRace Equality—The Home Secretary's Employment Targets—Milestone Report". The targets cover recruitment, retention and career progression for minority ethnic staff in the Home Office, the prison, the police, and probation services.
HEALTH
Patients' Facilities
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton): In our 1997 manifesto, we promised to end mixed-sex accommodation in national health service hospitals. In February 1998, we set a target for the achievement of three objectives which were designed to deliver separate sleeping areas, separate toilet and washing facilities and safe facilities for the mentally ill. Our target was that 95 per cent. of trusts would meet these new standards by December 2002.
We have exceeded the target to provide good standards of privacy and dignity, ensuring single-sex sleeping accommodation and robust operational policies which protect patients' privacy and dignity in 98 per cent. of NHS trusts.
We have met the target set to ensure the safety of people who are mentally ill—95 per cent. of NHS trusts meet additional criteria set for this patient group, offering for example day rooms which are Xoff limits" to both patients and visitors of the opposite sex.
The target to provide separate toilet and washing facilities for men and women will be met by the end of March. Progress to date means that 93 per cent. of NHS trusts provide properly segregated bathroom and toilet facilities for men and women. A further 2 per cent. of NHS trusts have works underway to deliver the required standard, affecting just 32 wards, which will be completed by the end of the March.
Over 98 per cent. of NHS wards meet our guidelines. As there are approximately 10,000 wards currently in use across the NHS, this is a significant achievement.
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New hospitals and hospital facilities currently being built will bring the remaining wards to the necessary standard.
This has been a particularly challenging target, which the NHS has met with enthusiasm and fervour. Meeting the target has taken time, energy and commitment from a wide range of professionals. The extremely high level of compliance achieved is a testament to their hard work and commitment to the interests of NHS patients.
DEFENCE
Iraq
The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon): In my oral statement to the House on 7 January 2002, Official Report column 23, I announced the deployment of naval and amphibious forces, including 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines with all supporting elements. They will conduct training in the Mediterranean, with a view to proceeding to the Gulf region if and as required.
3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines will have an integral reconnaissance capability. This will be provided by a number of tracked vehicles. These will be moved by ship and loading will begin shortly. Despatch of Royal Marines personnel and other equipment by air will also begin shortly.
In parallel, preparatory activity continues to ensure the availability and readiness of a range of military options, should they be required. This includes continuing planning activity, exploratory visits and liaison with other military staffs in the region. It also includes the preparation, movement and deployment of enabling equipment that might be required in the event of operations, including logistics, engineering, signals and command vehicles and equipment. This will involve major road movements in the United Kingdom and Germany, and the loading of ships which will sail in the next few days.
As soon as any decision to deploy additional British combat forces to the region is taken, I will inform the House at the earliest opportunity.