HC Deb 08 June 1971 vol 818 cc314-5W
Mr. William Hannan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT full details of the prison building programme proposed by his Department.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The principal projects included in the present programme are as follows:

present system is for payment of prisoners working under the training for freedom scheme in Scotland; and to what extent it resembles the system operating in England and Wales.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

A prisoner in outside employment under the training for freedom scheme hands over his pay to the prison. His travelling expenses and the cost of meals he has to buy during the working day are met by the prison authorities; and he receives a weekly pocket money allowance of £1.75 plus one-sixth of any overtime earned up to a maximum of 50p per week. A sum of 50p per week and the balance up to one-half of overtime earned is credited to his personal cash account for payment on his release.

The money retained by the prison authorities from the earnings of all inmates in the training for freedom scheme, abated by a notional sum for the hostel accommodation provided, is used as necessary to meet the expenditure incurred by the Department of Health and Social Security on payments to dependants of inmates in the scheme.

I understand that the corresponding arrangements in England and Wales, while broadly similar in principle, differ in their application to individual prisoners.

Designed Capacity (including in some cases places in Dormitories or Association Cells) Number in Custody on 25th May, 1971
Prison Male Female Male Female
Aberdeen 174 8 188 3
Barlinnie, Glasgow 767 1,212
Dumfries 15 5 14
Edinburgh 373 11 581 7
Greenock 92 69
Inverness 79 3 113
Longriggend Remand Institution near Airdrie 200 278
Low Moss, Bishopbriggs 312 290
Penninghame near Newton Stewart 65 55
Perth 650 4 625 2
Peterhead 359 444