Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reported (a) probation workload, (b) staffing pressures and (c) lack of accommodation on prisoner recall rates since January 2024.
All recall decisions are made based on an individualised assessment of each case. There is no available evidence of the potential impact of justice social work force or housing availability on the rates of recall.
When considering whether to recall someone, the Parole Board for Scotland and Scottish Prison Service will carefully consider any breach of licence conditions and/or whether any identified risks can be managed safely in the community.