Letter: No change in prison policy for IRA
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: In response to the points made by Paddy Seligman (letter, 13 September) about Whitemoor prison, neither the Home Secretary nor the Prison Service has sanctioned any relaxation of security for IRA prisoners, or the provision of special privileges.
When the special unit that held the IRA prisoners at Whitemoor was opened in July 1992, it was not general practice to conduct rub-down searches of visitors to prisoners in all such units. Following a review of policies, instructions were issued by Prison Service headquarters, in May of last year, which required full rub- down searches for all visitors in all special secure units.
That has applied at Whitemoor since the reopening of the special secure unit in June 1993. It will be a matter for the inquiry, now under way, to confirm that this policy was being fully implemented. The Prison Service policy is that no special privileges are given to IRA prisoners that are in any way different from other prisoners of the same security category.
Maintenance of security is the top priority of the Prison Service. It is our policy to ensure that adequate staff are available to maintain security.
There have been no reductions in the number of security staff at Whitemoor prison, which is fully staffed.
Yours faithfully,
DEREK LEWIS
Director General
HM Prison Service
London, SW1
13 September
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments