To ask the Minister of Justice to outline any assessment that has been made of the pressures currently facing the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

I want to acknowledge the recent inspection report which described Magilligan Prison as one of the highest-performing establishments in the United Kingdom. This is a significant achievement.

It is to the credit of the Northern Ireland Prison Service that prison establishments here have maintained stability and continue to perform to such a high standard despite sustained population pressure.

On 1 April 2023, the total prison population in Northern Ireland was 1,822. This year the population had increased by over 14% to 2,079. With Magilligan consistently operating at its capacity, Maghaberry must absorb and respond to this change and to further increases.

In this context, the level of cellsharing at Maghaberry is far beyond what is ideal, a situation made worse by the need to reopen and use the older square houses that were scheduled for demolition. Crowded landings, combined with outdated accommodation increases tension and can impact upon stability in an already difficult and dynamic environment. This affects staff, infrastructure and services, and constrains the Prison Service’s ambition for rehabilitation and resettlement. Without a significant and sustained reduction in population, the challenges for the Prison Service will not diminish.

Everyday, prison staff work incredibly hard to deliver the best prison regimes and services possible to a higher population; however, we must also be clear about the pressures facing our prison system.

Maghaberry is operating under immense strain as the prisoner population grows, the complexity of those entering custody increases, and public finances tighten. At Magilligan, a site originally built for 300 people, we are now accommodating 500. At Hydebank increasing numbers of extremely vulnerable women are being remanded into custody, in many cases because Hydebank represents a place of safety.

Without sustained and strategic investment in the prison estate, and sufficient resources to recruit additional prison officers, maintaining the standards highlighted in the Magilligan inspection report will become increasingly challenging. Securing that investment remains a priority for me and for my Department.