Women Prisoners: The Parliament debated S6M-08593 in the name of Katy Clark— That the Parliament notes reports that the women's prison, HMP Cornton Vale, is set to close and be replaced by HMP & YOI Stirling on the same site by the summer of 2023; further notes, with concern, reports that Scotland has had one of the largest female prison populations in northern Europe since 2010; understands that nearly 40% of women charged are not charged for a violent offence, with 63% of women in the sentenced population indexed under Group 1 (Violence) in the recorded crime statistics; notes the findings of the International Review of Custodial Models for Women: Key Messages for Scotland by the Scottish Government social research department in 2015, which concluded that “countries with lower rates of female prison populations tend to have different sentencing practices, including a greater use of alternatives to custody and open prisons than is currently available in Scotland”; further notes the view that Scotland’s remand rates for women are too high, including in the West Scotland region; notes that the Scottish Prison Service confirmed in January 2023 that approximately 36% of women prisoners are on remand, higher than the percentage for prisoners who are men; further notes the view that the vulnerable nature of many...