Public Audit Committee
The 2022/23 audit of the Scottish Prison Service
Background
On 12 December 2023, the Auditor General for Scotland published the 2022/23 audit of the Scottish Prison Service.
The report says:
"His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons in Scotland (HMIPS) highlighted in her 2022/23 annual report that 'the ageing infrastructure and general condition of some of Scotland’s prison buildings are ill-suited to a modern prison system’. This includes HMP Barlinnie, HMP Castle Huntly, HMP Dumfries, HMP Greenock, HMP Inverness and HMP Perth. Combined these prisons provide accommodation for approximately 35 per cent of Scotland’s current prison population. As at March 2023, around a third of prisoners were in cells of double occupancy, many of them in HMP Barlinnie which is relied upon to accommodate significant rises in population".
Read the report on Audit Scotland's website.
Information about the Public Audit Committee's consideration of the report can be found below.
Meetings
1 February 2024
The Committee took evidence from:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Michael Oliphant, Audit Director; and Tommy Yule, Senior Audit Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 1 February 2024
Read the Official Report, 1 February 2024
Read the meeting minutes, 1 February 2024
Decision: The Committee considered the evidence heard at agenda items 2 and 3 and agreed to invite HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland to give oral evidence at a future meeting.
The Committee also agreed to write to Police Scotland, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Services, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and NHS Scotland on issues raised during the meeting.
14 March 2024
The Committee took evidence from:
Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 14 March 2024
Read the Official Report, 14 March 2024
Read the meeting minutes, 14 March 2024
Decision: The Committee agreed to invite the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Government to give oral evidence at a future meeting.
28 March 2024
The Committee took evidence from:
David Jones, Managing Director; James Huntley, Commercial and Finance Director; and Gavin Redmond, Accounts Director, SCCPES (Scottish Court Custody and Prison Escort Service) GEOAmey Limited.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 28 March 2024
Read the Official Report, 28 March 2024
Read the meeting minutes, 28 March 2024
Decision: The Committee agreed to write to the Prison Officers Association Scotland, Public and Commercial Services Union and Community Trade Union. The Committee also agreed to draft a report on the 2022/23 audit of the Scottish Prison Service.