The Scottish Prison Service has been criticised for spending £51,239 on advice about using portable cell blocks to ease overcrowding, as the jail population reached record highs.
The service paid for independent guidance on 'ready to use' or 'modular' prison accommodation, weeks after Justice Secretary Neil Gray announced changes that could lead to fewer criminals being jailed and more released early. Gray said he had instructed the Scottish Prison Service to “exhaust all the options for further maximisation of the existing estate”.
Opposition criticism
Opposition MSPs described the bill as “embarrassing” and a “sticking plaster” to cover up for the long-delayed £1billion HMP in Glasgow and £209million HMP Highland in Inverness.
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: “Scotland’s prisons are in crisis due to the SNP’s incompetence and failure to get on top of the serious challenges caused by overcrowding.
“Ministers have repeatedly ignored the warning signs and have instead relied upon the sticking plaster approach of early release which will not resolve this crisis in the longer term.
“We need a proper plan to restore order in our prison system, including looking at suitable alternatives to custody and ensuring that capacity is there when it is needed.
“It should not be for taxpayers to have to foot the bill to cover the cost of consultants advising on how to mop up the mess created by the negligence of this SNP government.”
Record prison population
In May this year, the prison population climbed to another all-time high with more than 8,500 inmates held in a system designed to accommodate 7,805. The Scottish government launched a consultation in June on permanent measures, including encouraging judges to avoid prison sentences of less than two years, up from the current 12 months.
Scotland currently has no modular cells, but around 800 prefabricated 'rapid deployment cells' are used in England. These self-contained units, which can be stacked, are considered for low-risk and female prisoners.
The SPS hired London-based Mace Consulting to provide advice on how they could be used in Scotland, with the process costing £51,239 before any decision is made.
Political reactions
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Yi-pei Chou Turvey said: “First of all, this is embarrassing for an SNP government who have botched the construction of key facilities like the replacement for Barlinnie.
“Secondly, they will need to be certain that these facilities do not increase the risk for prison staff and those charged with rehabilitating prisoners.”
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr MSP said: “The SNP’s failure to get a grip on Scotland’s prison population has left the system in permanent crisis.
“Instead of endless emergency measures, Scotland needs a proper long-term plan to ensure dangerous offenders serve their sentences in full.”
Victim's view
However, one victim of crime said the prospect of portable cells was more appealing than early release. Eve Graham’s ex-husband William McDonald walked free in June after serving one year for violently abusing her over 47 years. The 67-year-old from Nairn said: “I know it’s a sticking plaster but it’s better having a sticking plaster over a wound than an open wound. The last thing victims like myself want is more criminals being released early into society. They’re in prison for a reason. I’d far rather it was in a portable cell than walking the streets with a tag on.”
The Scottish Prison Service said the process to gather advice was ongoing. A spokesman said: “As we have previously made clear, the size and complexity of the prison population is unsustainable and poses a significant risk to the safety of both those living and working in our establishments.
“Therefore, a range of action is needed, including looking at capacity, and we have commissioned a consultancy service to provide information on the use of modular buildings in custodial settings.”
A Scottish Government spokesman added: “We are taking a number of actions on the prison population, including building two new prisons, maximising capacity within the estate, increasing investment in community justice, and making greater use of Home Detention Curfew.
“Further action is necessary to ensure prisons can function safely and effectively and SPS are assessing further options to enhance capacity.”
