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Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland: Report for 1999-2000

6. Review of the Prison Inspectorate's Year 1999-2000

Inspections and Other Reports

6.1 Inspections for the year were completed as follows (previous year in brackets):

6.1.1 Three full inspections (5) and 15 intermediate inspections (16); further details of these inspections are contained at Appendix 1. Reports of these inspections contained 21 (30) Recommendations and 75 (126) Points of Note.

6.2 In addition, an independent assessment of SPS Year 2000 Preparedness was carried out between March and August 1999 and a report was submitted on
3 September 1999.

6.3 A Thematic Study into Conditions for Remand Prisoners was undertaken between September 1998 and December 1999. The report was published on
4 April 2000.

Staff

6.4 Mike Crossan left the Inspector's post on 29 February 2000 to take up an assignment at HMP Low Moss. His successor, Teresa Medhurst, joined the team on a part time basis for a six month secondment but has since been posted to HMP Glenochil and at the time of writing, this post is vacant. Though the post continues to be termed an SPS attachment, its funding is likely to change with effect 1 April 2001.

6.5 A system of including Guest Inspectors on most inspections continues to operate. In addition, there are part-time consultancy posts that cover medical, nursing, addictions and education. A service level agreement enables the Inspectorate to call on the services of independent (or SPS) researchers.

6.6 Further staff details are shown at Appendix 2.

Communications

• Scottish Executive IT equipment (SCOTS) continues to be in use (e-mail address: clive.fairweather@scotland.gov.uk). The Inspectorate also has access to the upgraded SPIN system (the SPS's computer network).

• All formal and thematic reports produced since 1995 are available on the Internet (www.scotland.gov.uk/hmip).

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