§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) why the cages at Porterfield prison have been brought into use again; and how many men now occupy them;
(2) if he is satisfied that the cages at Porterfield prison are now being used as they were originally intended to be;
(3) if he will review the cases of all those now in segregation at Porterfield prison with a view to returning them to less punitive conditions; and if he will close down the cages and end their use.
§ Mr. RifkindThe purpose of the unit in Inverness prison is the secure custody, for a limited period, of prisoners who by their continued disruptive conduct and attitudes, despite appropriate corrective468W measures, create difficulties for the operation of their prison of classification, making their removal desirable. The use of the expression "cages" for the cells there gives a most misleading impression of their form; and the unit has been regarded by successive Governments as an integral and necessary part of the Scottish prison system. There is no intention of discontinuing it.
There are at present three prisoners in the unit, and my right hon. Friend is satisfied that their transfer there was in accordance with the purpose of the unit. The progress of all prisoners detained in the unit is closely and continuously monitored by the unit staff and by a group specially set up to consider the management of difficult prisoners.