Phone bill for foreign national prisoners

THE bill for foreign prisoners phoning home from HMP Magilligan over the past three years was £2,419.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Sep 2010, 11:20 BST

The money was spent to allow inmates at the County Londonderry jail keep in touch with their loved ones overseas.

The bill was smaller than that at HMP Maghaberry (8,503) and HMP Hydebank (6,132).

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Minister of Justice David Ford was asked for details of the free weekly phone calls for foreign national prisoners to their homeland by way of an Assembly question.

He said the scheme was introduced by the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) in December 2007 to reduce the difficulties caused by separation from distant families.

He advised a free 10 minute phone call each week was available for those foreign national prisoners who have no visits and who do not have the means to call family overseas on a regular basis.