Women Prisoners (Interim Arrangements)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement that plans for HMP Inverclyde have been abandoned, what consideration it has given to interim arrangements for women prisoners in HMP Cornton Vale. (S4T-00910)
Women prisoners are currently held at Cornton Vale, Edinburgh, Greenock and Grampian. That will continue to be the case until such time as the new facilities are in place. The Scottish Prison Service has taken decisive action to address the shortcomings at Cornton Vale through accommodating women at other facilities and undertaking significant refurbishment work. The SPS will continue to work hard to ensure that the improved conditions for women in custody are maintained, including taking steps to move young women out of Cornton Vale.
Although the Cornton Vale location may still have a use as part of the female prison estate in the future, I am clear that Cornton Vale prison as it is presently configured will have to close. It will be part of our future plans to consider how and when that will take place in line with our new direction.
The Scottish Government remains committed to providing a high-quality custodial environment for women, but I am determined to ensure that we move to the right sort of facilities and take a new approach to how we look after women in custody.
I warmly thank the cabinet secretary for listening to the voices of reformers and taking a bold decision. I share his ambitions for a fair and progressive justice system, but it is essential in the interim to tackle the known shortcomings in the system. Both the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment recently commented adversely on the difficulties and delays caused by the lack of high-security mental health provision for women in Scotland. The Government has been urged to put in place arrangements to ensure swift transfer to an appropriate psychiatric facility from prison. Last year, it took more than nine months to transfer an extremely vulnerable prisoner to Rampton secure hospital. In light of the recommendations from those two organisations, what steps has the Scottish Government taken?
I recognise the member’s concern, but she will recognise that having a secure environment for those with a mental health condition is a matter for the national health service. For example, there is the provision at the state hospital and in our medium and low-security units. I understand the concern that the member has raised, and I am determined to ensure that we have facilities, particularly in the prison estate, that are fit for purpose.
Following the decision that I made regarding Inverclyde, I want to ensure that we have processes in the criminal justice system that are much more focused on dealing with the underlying causes of criminal activity, and mental health is one of those factors. The system, whether that is the Scottish Prison Service, the NHS or other partners, needs to work much more collectively and effectively in achieving that, including in the provision of custody facilities. As we go forward in the direction that I have now set for our penal policy, I am determined to get the balance right in the future in the prison estate in Scotland.
The cabinet secretary will know that I have been gravely concerned about the number of young women held in Cornton Vale for extended periods of time in solitary confinement in the separation and reintegration unit. The compound distress and trauma underlying the behavioural problems for those women who are contained in that way is immense and the prolonged isolation can only add to their ill health. HM inspectorate of prisons for Scotland agreed to undertake a thematic inspection of the segregation procedures. The cabinet secretary’s predecessor advised me in writing that that work would be concluded by February this year. Will the cabinet secretary update the chamber on the progress of that work and say whether it will report in time? Will he review the checks and balances that are currently in place around the rolling use of rule 95 and look into the provision of independent advocacy for those vulnerable prisoners?
I am aware of the issues in relation to the segregation provisions at Cornton Vale. The SPS has taken action to address some of those issues. I know that there were also concerns about the procedures that were being used. The facilities for segregation in Cornton Vale are not suitable for on-going use, but changes have been taking place. My understanding is that that work is on-going and that the SPS is confident that the process that it now has in place is fit for purpose and complies with what is required. However, given the member’s long-standing interest in the matter, I am more than happy to ensure that she is brought up to date on it once we have the final details from the inspector.
I welcome the cabinet secretary’s decision, which I think was the right one. Understandably, most of the focus today is on the issue of the female prisoners, but I have a significant constituency interest in Cornton Vale. Will the cabinet secretary say a bit more about what the future might hold for the Cornton Vale estate and what discussions have been held with the staff, because what has been announced is not what they expected to be the longer-term outcome? Will he commit today to write to me, once he is able to do so, with all the detail that he can give on the future of Cornton Vale and the impact on the staff?
The member raises an important point, because in all the debate around the future of the estate it is important not to forget the professionalism and dedication of our prison officer staff. We should be tremendously proud of the work that they undertake for us on a daily basis.
As I outlined yesterday, we are now going to undertake a period of intensive work with a range of stakeholders before we come to a final position on the configuration of our prison estate. That will involve a combination of appropriate secure facilities at a national level, as well as dealing with issues such as remand and short-term prisoners through the use of more community-based services.
I recognise that prison officers’ traditional roles in prison establishments will inevitably change with the change in our penal policy. Consequently, they will have to look at their role in establishments such as Cornton Vale. It may mean that they have to be based in the community facilities. That will require a change in working practice. However, the change also provides prison officers with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in areas that may not be available in the confines of the prison establishment.
We will continue to require a national facility for long-term serious offenders. My preferred option would be for a new-build facility at Cornton Vale, which is a more accessible site than Inverclyde. It would allow us to develop a fit-for-purpose facility and an approach that will improve prisoners’ outcomes and, in doing so, reduce reoffending by female offenders.
In light of the Angiolini report, which stated that the rehabilitation of women offenders is best served in the community, when will the cabinet secretary review the funding for community programmes?
A range of work is being progressed on the back of Elish Angiolini’s report. Indeed, 16 projects were commissioned as a result of the report.
The Angiolini report does not call for new money; rather, it calls for a change in the use of existing resources. That is what we have been facilitating, so that resources are much more focused on improving the outcomes for women rather than the process that they go through. There may be an element of misunderstanding in that regard. Indeed, I saw comments in the press that misunderstood what the report calls for. If the member looks at the report, she will recognise that it calls for the much more effective use of existing resources. That is the approach that we have been taking since the report was published.
Average Speed Cameras (A9)
To ask the Scottish Government what data have been gathered on safety following the introduction of average speed cameras on the A9. (S4T-00912)
The first quarterly performance monitoring report, covering speed, journey time and journey time reliability, has been published and is very encouraging. For example, excessive speeding—instances of drivers speeding more than 10mph above the limit—has been cut by 97 per cent, leading to an eightfold decrease in the number of people caught speeding. Police Scotland, the Road Haulage Association and the Institute of Advanced Motorists, among others, have welcomed the figures.
After only three months of average speed camera operation, police injury accident figures are not available. A longer period is required to evaluate safety performance—typically three years before and after in the case of road safety schemes. It is likely to be the third quarterly report before the first injury accident data can be reported on.
I welcome the publication of the data, which vindicates the action taken by the Scottish Government and the A9 safety group. Will the minister join me in urging critics of the scheme, such as Danny Alexander MP, to end their reckless and now discredited campaign to undermine what are valuable safety measures?
The evidence is that overall speeding is down from around one in three drivers to one in 20. As I have said, excessive speeding is down 97 per cent. Journey times have increased but in line with predictions, and journey time reliability has improved. There is no evidence that drivers are avoiding the A9. That is good news for the area and for road drivers.
My focus as transport minister is on safer roads, and the evidence is that the average speed cameras are playing their part in that regard. If Mr Alexander and others choose to ignore the evidence, it will be unfortunate for them if they are judged to be putting cheap political point scoring before the safety of their constituents.
The Inverness Courier, which has shifted tack slightly, because I think that it supported Danny Alexander’s campaign until now, suggests this morning that the average speed cameras will affect the economy of the Highlands. According to its headline, journey times have increased by 14 minutes. Of course, journey times have increased by up to 14 minutes. The average increase is nine minutes, which means that some journeys have increased by only three minutes. Will the minister say what impact that will have on the economy of the Highlands? Will he talk in particular about the speed limits for heavy goods vehicles?
The reported increase in journey times is exactly in line with our projections and reflects the reduction in excess speed on the A9.
The Road Haulage Association reported in its trade magazine that there are journey time savings of up to 30 minutes for HGVs travelling between Perth and Inverness. A reduction in the number of incidents and the disruption that is associated with them leads to better journey reliability, which supports the economy. It is simply indefensible to argue that speeding is good for the economy. A safer A9, with fewer reckless drivers and better behaviour by the vast majority of road users, can only be good for the Highland economy.
Is it Scottish Government policy to increase the speed limit for HGVs on single carriageways across Scotland to 50mph if the evidence from the A9 pilot and average speed cameras supports that?
Our officials will use all the evidence that is available for specific roads, and the limit will reflect the circumstances on the road. If we have a partnership and a package of proposals such as we have had for the A9, we can change the speed limit accordingly. We will be flexible, but safety will always be paramount when this Government takes action on Scotland’s roads.
The speed reduction measures on the A9 were introduced in conjunction with an increase in the HGV speed limit to 50mph, to which Mr Stewart referred. That came about because of vigorous campaigning by some members and many people outside the Parliament. When will the Scottish Government assess the impact of the increase in the HGV speed limit? As Mr Stewart said, if the increase is deemed successful, what is to stop us rolling it out on other major A roads across the country?
We will consider the issue closely. We are mindful of what the United Kingdom Government is doing on speed limits, too. Safety will be our first consideration. The increase has been successful on the A9 as part of a package of measures, as will be the dualling to which the Government has committed. We will look at the evidence from the pilot and other work and judge what is appropriate for the rest of the country.
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