Further supplementary written evidence
from the Northern Ireland Prison Service
PROPOSED REPLACEMENT
PRISON FOR
MAGILLIGAN
This note provides an update on the issues and
criteria that will be taken into consideration in relation to
the proposed replacement of Magilligan Prison.
You will be aware that the Prison Service "Blueprint"
includes a Strategic Development Programme for the future prison
estate. Details of "Blueprint" were included in the
original documentation provided to NIAC.
Since we started that work, Paul Goggins has
commissioned an Options Appraisal that would conclude by September.
It is intended that this exercise would outline the options available
for the future development of the prison estate and identify the
preferred option. The analysis of this exercise would then help
inform any decision on the proposed future shape of the prison
estate.
At present 10 options are under consideration,
ranging from maintaining the status quo to providing three adult
male sites, including Magilligan, and identifying a site closer
to Belfast.
Although the work is still to be completed,
the exercise has identified a number of essential criteria against
which the options would be considered, including:
— the need to provide for total operational
flexibility in the management and dispersal of prisoners;
— the ability to transfer all categories
of prisoners between sites;
— the consideration that all establishments
should, ideally, be located within 30 miles of Belfast;
— the need to provide flexibility for
the management of disparate groups of prisoners, including paramilitaries,
serious organised criminals, protected witnesses, vulnerable prisoners
etc;
— convenience and accessibility to
the main courts / criminal justice system;
— the availability of capital funds
to purchase alternative sites and complete the building programme;
— affordability, including assessment
of overheads and annual running costs, for each option;
— the availability of planning permission
for any new site; and
— the availability of approximately
70 acres of suitable land.
The Options Appraisal team have also identified
two desirable criteria, which are that the solution should be:
— capable of delivery by 2015 at the
latest; and
— reduce the current complexity within
Maghaberry.
Further to these criteria, there are a number
of additional requirements for any future adult male estate, including
the ability to provide:
— single cell accommodation, with the
ability to double up in humane conditions for all prisoners who
wish it;
— accommodation for all prisoner types,
including both separated and integrated;
— contingency cell accommodation for
emergency situations of approximately 15% of the population;
— personal hygiene and activity requirements,
according to the different prisoner needs, in line with human
rights legislation and the Healthy Prisons Agenda;
— cell accommodation consistent with
current design standards under the safer cell criteria;
— public protection and NIPS security
arrangements, appropriate to the category of prisoners held;
— efficient and effective staffing,
based upon best practice benchmarking with other jurisdictions
leading to improved staff : prisoner ratios more appropriate to
the needs of the category of prisoners held;
— prison design which allows for maximising
staff : prisoner engagement and, as a consequence, better dynamic
security;
— an operational capacity to reflect
the rate of growth in the adult male population to between 1800
and 2000 adult male prisoners by 2015 (including providing contingency
accommodation); and
— compatibility with the current NIPS
estate strategy.
Significant work is in progress to take forward
the Options Appraisal which will, ultimately, provide the Minister
with the necessary information to inform his decision on the future
shape of the prison estate. At this point in time the Prison Service
does not have a preferred option. Work is progressing with the
assistance of Steve Carter from Carter Goble Lee, a US company
which specialises in prison design. NIPS is also working closely
with the Strategic Investment Board who are retained to advise
the Secretary of State on major capital projects within the NIO.
To date a number of workshops have been completed
covering a range of design characteristics, for:
This work is ongoing and should be completed
by mid-end September. In keeping with our obligations under section
75 of the 1998 Northern Ireland Act, it will be necessary to conduct
an Equality Impact Assessment before final decisions are taken.
M G Murray
Northern Ireland Prison Service
9 July 2007
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