Report on HM Prison Shotts

HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland 1998

RESPONSE TO HM CHIEF INSPECTOR’S REPORT ON HM PRISON SHOTTS

Statement by Henry McLeish MP, Minister of State at the Scottish Office with responsibility for Prisons

I am grateful to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for this inspection report, and for the positive comments about the quality of the regime and the progress which has been achieved at Shotts in recent years. I am pleased to note that the recommendations made in the report are more to do with encouraging further development rather than with any specific statutory concerns.

I agree that the initiatives taken to provide enhanced work opportunities for those who are drug free are excellent and the concept should be introduced as part of the national progression system. To that end consideration is being given to introducing similar schemes of enhanced work opportunities at Dungavel prison and Noranside open prison in the coming year.

The bottleneck in the national "top ends" and the continued under utilisation of places in the open prisons does suggest that there is scope for improvement in the use of the prisons estate. The opening of the new prison at Kilmarnock strengthens the case for a strategic review of the estate and of the allocation criteria. Work is in hand.

So far as the local progression system is concerned, the Governor intends to co-ordinate the drug free areas and enhanced wages work parties with the top end in the progression system. Conversely, work parties will be created for the balance of the prisoner population.

The need for effective co-ordination of drug activities at a senior level has been recognised by the Governor who has appointed the Deputy Governor as chairman of the local Drug Strategy Group. The problems associated with drug abuse are varied and require initiatives from a range of different functions within the prison. The Deputy Governor is the most appropriate co-ordinator of this activity, and the Governor will ensure that he has time and resources for this task. The detoxification facilities will be considered in the context of an option appraisal for a new health centre. A new centre will require considerable capital resources and a decision to proceed will therefore be dependent on the availability of funding.

The Governor will look again at the question of the location for an induction centre.

The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service will reply direct to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on the points of note.

8 March 1999