§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) male prisoners and (b) female prisoners are currently held (i) three to a one-person cell and (ii) two to a one-person cell; and what the figures were for each of the past seven years. [27309]
§ 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 Godman, dated 13 June 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question about the extent of double and triple occupancy of cells designed for one person.Occupancy of single cells by more than one prisoner can arise due to factors other than high prisoner numbers, for example to allow refurbishment to improve prisoner accommodation (including the installation of in-cell toilets and electrical power). In some cases single cells are in double occupancy at the request of prisoners themselves, who for their own reasons prefer to share.Historical records of instances of double or triple occupancy are not maintained, but the current position - as at lock-up on the night of Wednesday 7 June - is set out in the attached table.
472W
Establishment Males Females Males Females Aberdeen 56 0 0 0 Barlinnie 806 0 0 0 Castle Huntly 0 0 0 0 Cornton Vale 0 18 0 6 Dumfries 12 0 0 0 Dungavel 0 0 0 0 Edinburgh 260 0 87 0 Friarton 50 0 0 0 Glenochil 0 0 0 0 Greenock 176 0 9 0 Inverness 66 0 0 0 Longriggend 0 0 0 0 Low Moss 0 0 0 0 Noranside 0 0 0 0 Penninghame 0 0 0 0 Perth 118 0 0 0 Peterhead 0 0 0 0
Establishment Males Females Males Females Peterhead Unit 0 0 0 0 Polmont 96 0 0 0 Shotts 0 0 0 0 Shotts Special Unit 0 0 0 0 Shotts National Induction Centre 0 0 0 0 Totals 1,640 18 96 6