HC Deb 06 April 1984 vol 57 cc685-6W
Mr. McTaggart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the ratio of prison officers to prisoners in each Scottish prison and the optimum ratio recommended by his Department for each prison.

Mr. Ancram

The information is set out in the following table. My Department does not recommend optimum ratios for establishments; staffing levels depend on such factors as to the type of inmate and regime and the nature of the accommodation and vary accordingly.

Establishment Ratio of prison officers: inmates
Aberdeen 1:2.18
Barlinnie 1:3.70
Barlinnie Special Unit 1:0.47
Castle Huntly 1:2.28
Cornton Vale 1:0.83
Dumfries 1:1.34
Dungavel 1:2.22
Edinburgh 1:2.51
Friarton 1:1.50
Glenochil 1:1.50
Inverness 1:1.46
Longriggend 1:2.52
Low Moss 1:4.15
Noranside 1:1.90

Establishment Ratio of prison officers: inmates
Penninghame 1:2.48
Perth 1:2.39
Peterhead 1:0.87
Polmont 1:1.98
Shotts 1:0.98