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The opening of HMP Kilmarnock in March 1999 marked a significant development in Scottish prison policy and management. It was the first completely new prison to be built in Scotland for many years. It ushered in a new era of public/private sector partnership as the prison was contracted by Scottish Prison Service from Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd who designed, constructed, managed and financed it. And it provided a much needed addition of 500 high quality prison places to the SPS estate. One in 12 of SPS's prisoners is now held in Kilmarnock, Scotland's fifth largest prison.
I note HM Chief Inspector of Prison's comment that he would not normally carry out an inspection so early in the life of a new prison but, in the case of Kilmarnock, as there had been considerable media interest as well as misleading reporting, he decided to bring the inspection forward so that a more objective picture could be provided.
I am grateful to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for his timely inspection report and encouraged by his positive comments about the threshold quality of life for prisoners which Kilmarnock provides and the large number of examples of best practice which were found. I am pleased to note that the recommendations made in the report are more to do with sharing learning points and encouraging further development than with any statutory concerns. Overall, I am encouraged to note Mr Fairweather`'s description of the first year of operation as a "very promising start".
I understand from conversations with long-serving prison Governors and SPS Directors that opening a new prison is a considerable challenge and that it can take several years to bed down and to overcome teething problems. This makes the achievement at Kilmarnock all the more impressive.
Kilmarnock's 500 cells provide much needed additional accommodation and relief from overcrowding in the prison system, particularly in the west of Scotland. They also provide a high standard of accommodation which has contributed significantly towards increasing access by prisoners to night sanitation and reducing slopping out. Kilmarnock holds male prisoners on remand from Kilmarnock and Ayr Sheriff Courts as well as other male short and long term prisoners.
The SPS contract with KPSL for the construction, financing and, most importantly, the management of the prison over the next quarter of a century. I hope that this very promising start continues over that period.
The responses by SPS and KPSL to each of HMCIP`'s recommendations are set out below. I am encouraged by the very positive response by both organisations and by the willingness on the part of SPS to consider adopting elsewhere practices initiated by KPSL and found to be successful.
6 July 2000
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