Ms Caron McCaffrey:

I may have clarified the last time that there were two staff events that were incorrectly coded to the prisoner assistance programme fund. Those funds should have come under staff development. I have actually abolished the prisoner assistance programme fund, PAPF. It was based on the profits generated from our tuck shops. The money was primarily spent to address prisoner hardship, on prisoner programmes and to support our community return and community support programmes. I was of the view that selling items in the tuck shop as an economic activity was not really what the Prison Service is about. It is a service to prisoners. We have changed the manner in which our tuck shops operate and, instead of selling at recommended retail prices, we now sell products at cost plus 5%. The programmes that were previously supported by that fund now receive Exchequer funding. We received Exchequer funding for prisoner programmes and to support the community support and community return programmes. However, we continue to sell tobacco at cost price. That generates enough money to allow governors to support prisoners who find themselves in economic hardship.