§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to convert Cornton Vale woman's prison into a mixed, local prison; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what plans he has to establish female prisoner units into prisons throughout Scotland; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what plans he has to incarcerate young male offenders in Cornton Vale prison; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe subjects of the questions relate to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E.W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 20 February 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your questions about whether there are plans to convert Cornton Vale 62W women's prison into a mixed local prison, to establish female units in prisons throughout Scotland and to incarcerate young male offenders in Cornton Vale Prison.The Scottish Prison Service is presently considering the best use of its estate against the background of overcrowding in some prisons and under-utilisation in others. We are studying also the location of convicted women prisoners, their opportunities for progression and the possibilities of open prison conditions comparable to that available to male prisoners. There are already small remand wings for women in Aberdeen, Dumfries and Inverness Prisons but all convicted women prisoners have to go at present to Cornton Vale. We are conscious of the disparity between male and female prisoners where convicted males can serve short sentences in prisons close to their home area.Feasibility studies of all the various options are not yet complete and no decisions have been made.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of Scotland what has been the cost to public funds of managing the Prison Service in each year since 1979.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 20 February 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the cost to public funds of managing the Prison Service in each year since 1979.The attached Annex sets out yearly expenditure from financial year 1979/80 onwards.
Annex: Scottish Prison Service Expenditure £000 SPS annual report Total net expenditure 1979–80 33,319 1980–81 44,037 1981–82 51,030 1982–83 56,615 1983–84 62,837 1984–85 72,443 1985–86 80,649 1986–87 85,112
SPS annual report Total net expenditure 1987–88 96,304 1988–89 111,073 1989–90 121,499 1990–91 125,908 1991–92 136,763 1992–93 152,214 1993–94 154,343 Note:
The figures in this Annex include the cost of Central Administration and expenditure met from the votes of other Departments on behalf of the Scottish Prison Service.