To ask the Minister of Justice to detail (i) the criteria for determining when prisons are considered overcrowded, including available staff and prison population; and (ii) any projections that have been carried out in relation to the likelihood of prisons becoming overcrowded in the next 12 months.

Whether or not a prison is overcrowded takes into account a number of dynamic and interrelated factors. These include the total and the breakdown of the population, what accommodation is open, staff availability, the level of regime that can be delivered, and the extent of cell-sharing.

Whilst the Northern Ireland prison population is not presenting the same immediate risks as in other jurisdictions, it is challenging, and NIPS are highly vigilant to the population trend in the remaining months of this year.