Two new jails set to replace ageing prisons

Originally published in The Herald, 23/10/2008

New jails are to be built by the Scottish Prison Service to replace two ageing facilities in Scotland.

The authority said work was now under way to find sites to replace HMP Greenock and HMP Inverness.

The service cannot redevelop the existing jails where they are and warned it could be "some time" before deals are struck for new grounds in the local areas.

The Scottish Government has committed to paying for new prisons from the public purse.

Mike Ewart, chief executive of the prison service, said the jails, both around 100 years old, would also be renamed. He said: "HMP Inverclyde and HMP Highland will provide new and improved facilities for our staff to work and protect the public by helping prisoners address their offending behaviour during their time in custody."

The government identified HMP Greenock and HMP Inverness as "unfit" in a review published in March.

Both currently hold more prisoners than they were designed for but the proposed replacements may only match current limits.

Inverness jail, also known as Porterfield, was built in 1902 for 130 inmates but currently holds 146. The Greenock prison, known as Gateside, was built in 1910 for 255 people but holds 335.

A record number of prisoners, 8060 as of yesterday, are being held in prisons across Scotland - this has risen from 8013 in August. The Herald revealed last month that Barlinnie has nearly double the 1018 for which it was built.

The independent Scottish Prisons Commission report this year recommended a target to cut the number of inmates from a projected peak, if unchecked, of 8700 to 5000 within a decade.

Last month, Mr Ewart warned MSPs that hundreds of prisoners could be released from jail in the event of an accident, such as a fire, under emergency powers to deal with acute overcrowding.

Ministers have already approved £120m a year to 2013 to support investment for facilities, including HMP Grampian, the replacement for Victorian facilities at Peterhead and Aberdeen.

The money will also help construction at HMP Bishopbriggs and the final phases of jails at Edinburgh, Glenochil and Perth as well as Polmont young offenders' institution.

A new jail at Addiewell is scheduled to open in December. However, overcrowding must still be addressed, according to the Scottish Prison Officers Association.

SPOA assistant secretary Derek Turner said: "We welcome the announcement, especially as the prisons will be in the public sector because we believe prisons should not be for profit, but we can't build ourselves out of overcrowding in the short term."

Labour justice spokesman Richard Baker said the announcement "smacks of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted".

Tory community safety spokesman John Lamont said: "Almost 18 months into the SNP's tenure of government, we are finally beginning the process of replacing inadequate prisons. However, this is a token gesture unless we solve prison overcrowding."