asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he would consider to be exceptional circumstances which would warrant the transfer of an Irish prisoner from England to Northern Ireland.

Each request by a prisoner in England and Wales to serve his sentence in Northern Ireland is examined in relation to his personal connection with Northern Ireland, the availability of accommodation, the prisoner's acceptability to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the security considerations. It is, therefore, not possible to specify exceptional circumstances which may warrant a transfer.