The Ulster Unionist Party’s Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has welcomed the findings of two independent inspection reports which have commended staff for ‘remarkable progress’ at Hydebank Wood Secure College and Ash House women’s prison.

Doug Beattie MC MLA said:

“The findings of the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) reports following unannounced inspections at Hydebank Wood Secure College and Ash House Women’s Prison, is very welcome news.

“This is testament to the high quality of the work being done by prison service staff and confirms how dedicated they are to their jobs, with the reports commending prison officers, health care and education staff for the ‘remarkable progress’ they have made to improve performance and outcomes. I am particularly pleased to see that the areas of safety, respect and rehabilitation and release planning or resettlement, were assessed to be at the highest level of ‘good’ at both facilities, and that levels of violence and incidents of self-harm at Ash House were found to be both lower than at the time of the last inspection and lower than at other women’s prisons in England and Wales inspected by HMIP.

“The staff can also take particular pride that outcomes for young men at the Secure College were found to be ‘dramatically better’ than at comparable prisons in England and Wales and the fact that both Chief Inspectors highlighted the positive relationships which existed between prisoners and prison staff which did not compromise officers’ ability to carry out their duties.

“I note that concerns were raised regarding the strategy in place to reduce the supply and trade of prescription and illegal drugs or other substances which was found not to be sufficiently robust, and clearly that is an area that must be worked on.

“Nonetheless, it is very clear that the prison staff are producing results in what is inevitably always going to be a challenging environment, and for that we should give great credit where it is most certainly due.”