asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisoners in Northern Ireland have been granted Christmas leave each year since 2000; and, of those, how many have failed to return. [HL390]
The following table provides the information 2000 for which details are not readily available.
The only prisoner granted home leave at Christmas in the past six years who remains unlawfully at large, is Paul Andrew Kervein, a Magilligan prisoner who was granted leave at Christmas 2006 and was due to be discharged eight weeks later.
Year Prisoners granted Christmas home leave Prisoners who failed to return to prison on time and became unlawfully at large Prisoners still unlawfully at large on 23 November 2007 2001 187 4* 0 2002 184 5 0 2003 127 1 0 2004 99 3 0 2005 116 1 0 2006 100 2 1 * A further inmate sustained fatal injuries in a stolen car which was involved in an accident on 23 December 2001.