NORTHERN IRELAND HMP Maghaberry PRISON SERVICE 17 Old Road Ballinderry Upper LISBURN Co Antrim 8128 2PT. Tel: 028 9261 1888 Fax: 028 9261 9516 Mr G Downing Your Reference: Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group PO Box 59188 Our Reference: COR/299/2015 London ' : 29" April 2015, NW29LJ aia Dear Mr Downing | have been asked to respond to your letter to the Right Honourable Chris Gravling MP dated the 10 April 2015 expressing your concerns regarding republican prisoners held at Maghaberry. The Northern Ireland Prison Service does not comment on individual prisoners however | can advise you that the regime available to prisoners in the CSU includes daily exercise, access to a gym facility, telephones, showers and evening association The Northern Ireland Prison Service have a duty of care to prisoners, to staff and to the Public in’ Northerrtretand:- For the safety of staff and the public searching is Necessary. This maintains the security of the establishment and prevents unauthorised items entering or leaving the establishment There is a clear published criteria for prisoners to access separated conditions, that criteria is the responsibilty of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Any prisoner who applies and meets the criteria will be moved to separation by the Prison Service. The August 2010 Agreement was reached by the joint facilitation group to end a protest by prisoners in Roe House. The Minister established the Independent Assessment Team in September 2010 to ensure that the Agreement's principles and undertakings were being implemented. In July 2014, following a recommendation from the Prisoner Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, the Minister of Justice, David Ford, asked the Assessors to undertake a Stocktake Of the implementation of the 2010 Agreement. In undertaking this Stocktake he invited the Assessors to retum to the agreed principles and undertakings of that agreement, and pass comment on the state of compliance. DOJNORTHERN IRELAND PRISON > SERVICE The Stocktake Report was received from the independent assessors on 25 September 2014 and its implementation is the most pragmatic and practicable mechanism to achieve a more normalised regime in Roe House. The Northern Ireland Prison Service accepted the nine recommendations within its responsibility and continues to work towards their implementation Itwas made clear when the Stocktake was published that addressing the recommendations was a responsibility shared by the Northern Ireland Prison Service and by the prisoners themselves. If momentum for change is to be maintained, all those with influence should encourage the prisoners to fully engage with that process. Yours Sincerely Prag bosunng Alan Longwell Governor HMP Maghaberry DOJ