§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of prisoners confined in the special segregation unit at Porterfield prison, Inverness, in each of the five years prior to 757W its falling into disuse; and what was the average length of stay of a prisoner in the unit in each of those years.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThe information is as follows:
Year Number of prisoners Average length of stay 1968 … … 32 2 months, 3 weeks 1969 … … 17 4 months, 2 weeks 1970 … … 11 3 months, 3 weeks 1971 … … 14 2 months, 1 week 1972 … … 17 2 months, 3 weeks
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the rules governing the operation of the special segregation unit at Porterfield prison, Inverness; and if he will set out the criterion to be applied in deciding if a prisoner is suitable for admission.
§ Mr. Harry EwingMy right hon. Friend does not propose to change the practice under which internal prison service documents of this kind are not released for publication.
Prisoners are considered for possible temporary admission to the unit if their violent or trouble-making behaviour is creating difficulties for the operation of their prison of allocation and does not respond to normal measures of management and control.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement outlining his policy towards the secure accommodation at Porterfield prison in Inverness.
§ Mr. MillanI have made it clear that I regard the unit at Inverness prison as an integral part of the prison system and that I am prepared to authorise the temporary transfer there of violent or troublemaking prisoners.
I have also instructed that consideration be given to devising an alternative cell divider.