Prison Service (Hansard, 31 March 1993)

§ Mr. Lang

I have decided that, under the next steps initiative, the Scottish prison service will become an executive agency on 1 April 1993. I am arranging for copies of the framework document to be placed in the Vote Office and in the Libraries of the House. I shall remain accountable to Parliament for the activities of the Scottish prison service. I am delegating to the chief executive full managerial authority for the agency and its day-to-day operation. For the future I envisage greater flexibilities to help the Scottish prison service meet increasingly demanding targets and further improve its standards of service.

I have set the following key performance targets for the Scottish prison service for 1993–94:

	Target
1. The number of prisoners unlawfully at large.	1. No 'A' category prisoners should escape.
	2. The number of escapes by 'B' category prisoners should not be higher than 2.5 per 1,000 prisoners
2. The number of significant incidents.	A database will be devloped and a target set from 1994–95.

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	Target
3. The number of serious assaults on staff and prisoners.	1. The number of serious assaults on staff should not be higher than 6 per 1,000 staff.
	2. The number of serious assaults on prisoners should not be higher than 11 per 1,000 prisoners.
4. Basic quality of life for prisoners.	By April 1994 52 per cent, of prisoners will have access to forms of night sanitation.
5. The amount of available opportunities for prisoners' self development.	That 80 per cent, of convicted prisoners should have the opportunity of at least 6.5 hours per working day of programmed activities.
6. Time out of cell for unconvicted prisoners.	On average 25 per cent, of unconvicted prisoner hours should be available for out of cell activities.
7. Average annual cost per prisoner place.	To keep costs within £26,170 per place available for use.
8. The level of absence through staff sickness.	To reduce the average number of days lost per person per year through staff sickness to 16.