To ask the Minister of Justice to detail what assessment her Department has made of the risks associated with introducing animals into custodial environments, including potential links between animal abuse and wider patterns of violence.

The use of animals by the Northern Ireland Prison Service is an operational matter for the relevant Governor in each prison establishment. I am content that Governors have a thorough understanding of the risks that can present in custodial environments, and how they should be managed in respect of the use of animals.

It is worth noting that emotional support animals have been deployed in prison settings in Northern Ireland for the last 25 years, providing a wide range of proven benefits in relation to the wellbeing and rehabilitation of offenders. The Prison Service takes its duty of care for animals’ safety and wellbeing very seriously and has also an established record of working with a range of animal charities to offer a caring home and a purposeful life to many animals.