Justice Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Official Report 571KB pdf

Justice Sub-Committee on Policing (Report Back)

Agenda item 8 is feedback from the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing on its meeting of 7 December 2017. Following the verbal report, there will be an opportunity for brief comments or questions. I refer members to paper 6, which is a note by the clerk.

I will give the verbal report, as the convener of the sub-committee, Mary Fee, was unable to attend that meeting. The report is as follows:

“The Justice Sub-Committee on Policing met on 7 December 2017 when it held an evidence session on Police Scotland’s custody provision.

The Sub-Committee took evidence from Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Federation, UNISON Scotland, and Positive Prisons? Positive Futures.

The Sub-Committee heard about the role and work of the custody division, which was established when Police Scotland was formed.

During a previous evidence session on the police service’s financial planning for 2018-19, the Sub-Committee heard that due to a reduction in the geographical locations in which prisoners can be held, prisoners were routinely conveyed over longer distances than would seem acceptable.

The Sub-Committee scheduled this evidence session to consider custody provision in more detail, specifically the impact on the welfare and care of prisoners in custody and during transportation.

The Sub-Committee will next meet on 18 January 2018, when it intends to hold an evidence session on HM Inspectorate of Constabulary’s report on undercover policing.”

Do members have any comments or questions?

Members: No.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 19 December, when we will consider petitions and undertake scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2018-19.