To ask the Minister of Justice to detail the plans and associated costs for future renovation works on HMP Magilligan over the next five years.

The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is committed to investing in the maintenance of our prisons and has identified four priority areas for the next five years.

Work on the Outline Business Case 1 for the Redevelopment of Magilligan Prison (as detailed in the NIPS Estates Strategy published in December 2018) is at an advanced stage and will be submitted no later than spring 2021. Delivery of the project by the target date of December 2027 is dependent on the provision of capital funding, which will be considered as part of wider Executive budget discussions. The estimated costs for the project are £109m. The majority of the work to upgrade Magilligan’s Incoming Power Supply will be completed by summer 2021, at an estimated total cost of £4.3 million.

NIPS will continue with its rolling Minor Works and Infrastructure projects to support NIPS strategic aims in terms of providing a therapeutic environment for Rehabilitation and Resettlement Programmes. New schemes that are planned over the coming 5 years include a programme of new replacement boiler house installations, an upgraded incoming electrical power supply, new digital CCTV systems, replacement fence alarms, an upgraded phone network, a new replacement fire mains a new Stores building together with the progression of a range of small works projects that are identified for delivery within the annual minor works programme.

As an organisation NIPS has also focussed on sustainability as a priority and will continue to roll out its programme of upgrades to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. This includes the provision of a new site wide Building Energy Management System at Magilligan and the provision of the upgrade of the supporting infrastructure.

Finally, focusing on digitalisation, NIPS plans to further develop the Prisoner Portal system that places a PC in every cell, and provides a digital application to allow inmates to be responsible for managing their own requests. It is intended to implement this technology across all three establishments, including Magilligan.

Subject to funding the annual level of investment for minor works projects over the coming 5 years is planned at around £3.0 - 4.0 million per annum.