Question reference: S5W-35945
- Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 10 March 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will allow prison visits to resume.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
The safety and wellbeing of all those living and working in SPS establishments remains our priority and, as such, individual establishments may put measures in place to restrict prison visits in line with public health advice.
At the moment, in-person visits can take place in SPS establishments, particularly where there are compassionate grounds. Each in-person visit request is assessed on an individual basis, and local risk assessments are applied prior to a decision being reached by an establishment as to whether the in-person visit request will be approved.
Following the SG announcement by the First Minister on 16 March 2020 detailing the easing of some restrictions, we are reviewing the arrangements for in-person visits with a view to enabling greater access. All updates on changes to accessing in-person visits will be published on the SPS website in due course.