§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the number of (a) men and (b) women held in solitary confinement in prisons in Scotland on 1 March;
(2) what is the longest period of time a person at present in solitary confinement in a prison in Scotland has been kept under these conditions.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe expression "solitary confinement" is not used in the prison rules. Under the rules an inmate may be confined to his cell only(a) if under punishment, (b) pending adjudication on a report for an offence against the prison rules, (c) in the interests of good order and discipline or (d) in the interests of the inmate himself.
On 1 March 1983, 17 male inmates were confined to their cells under one or other of these provisions. No woman inmate was confined to her cell on that date.
The longest period for which an inmate at present confined to his cell has been held under these conditions other than at his own request is six weeks.