Unrest over prison conditions

Thirty four inmates were involved in a protest

An investigation has been launched following a disturbance at Saughton Prison in Edinburgh.

Inmates smashed up their beds and set light to bedding during the trouble overnight on Saturday.

The disturbance is thought to have been a protest over conditions at the prison.

Situation now back under control

The Scottish Prison Service said 34 prisoners in B wing were involved in the unrest.

However, the SPS said it was not policy to comment further on the incident as an investigation was under way.

Formally known as HM Prison Edinburgh, the establishment holds remand prisoners, prisoners awaiting sentence and those serving terms up to four years.

Although it has yet to be revealed what led to the disturbance, prison officials have previously conceded that high prisoner numbers meant they have not been able to end the much-criticised practice of slopping out in halls A to C and Forth Hall.

This means that prisoners must use chamber pots which they empty in an early morning ritual.

Scottish National Party MSP, Dorothy Grace Elder, has been seeking further action from prison authorities to end slopping out, particularly at Barlinnie Prison, in Glasgow.

Praise for prison service's record

During a Scottish Parliament debate on the lack of modern sanitation at Barlinnie last week, she said 300 hours of staff time were used up each day dealing with the problem at the jail.

However, Sue Matheson, chief executive of the prisoners' welfare organisaton Sacro, said the Saughton protest seemed to have come out of the blue.

She said: "I'm very surprised because the changes the Scottish Prison Service has made over the last two or three years are all about ensuring that they work with prisoners in a caring and humane way.

"I don't know what is behind this but certainly the overall policy of SPS I've been very impressed with.

"What they'll be trying to do is to speak to the staff and to the prisoners involved and try to get to the bottom of what has sparked this off."