Prison remand conditions slammed

Slopping out is standard practice in Barlinnie

An MSP has called for a debate in the Scottish Parliament on conditions at Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow.

The Scottish National Party's Dorothy-Grace Elder says they compare unfavourably with every other European nation.

Her remarks come as the Chief Inspector of Prisons published a report critical of the remand regime at Scotland's largest prison.

It emerged last month that the continuation of the practice of "slopping out" could enable prisoners to challenge their detention under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Dorothy-Grace Elder: Wants debate

The report from Clive Fairweather, the chief inspector of prisons, also highlights complaints of cockroach infestation and a shortage of clean underwear.

Dorothy-Grace Elder, who is on the Barlinnie visiting committee, described the conditions there as a "disgrace".

She said: "I have visited a number of prisons overseas, in particular in Russia where prisons are atrocious.

"But there is nowhere in Europe outside of Russia where conditions are worse than Barlinnie."

She has laid down a motion for debate in the parliament.

Money recouped

The Scottish Executive has clawed back £14m from the prison service budget.

Critics say that has held up the refurbishment programme at Barlinnie, but this has been denied by the Justice Minister, Jim Wallace.

He said: "I'm assured that clawback does not affect the concerns highlighted by Clive Fairweather in his report.

Clive Fairweather's report damned Barlinnie

"Indeed one of the prisons which comes in for most criticism is one we are currently closing."

Mr Fairweather's report says other Scottish prisons are much better, in particular the private jail at Kilmarnock and Edinburgh, where a new remand wing was recently opened.

But under the human rights convention, there should be no difference in the regime offered to prisoners in jails across Scotland.

'Decent conditions'

Mr Fairweather said: "I would like to see decent conditions for all remand prisoners who, after all, have not been found guilty of a crime."

Welfare campaigners say there is another solution to some of the problems in Barlinnie, to cut remands.

A total of 45% of all annual admissions to Scotland's jails are untried.

Phil Gallie MSP, the Tories' home affairs spokesman, said: "The findings give yet further cause for concern over the future of Scotland's prisons service under Labour and the Liberals Democrats.

"Although all convicted prisoners should experience a dignified but austere stay in custody, it defies logic that, at present, remand prisoners should experience conditions inferior to their convicted counterparts.

"That the report refers to 'a disproportionate rise in suicides amongst remand prisoners only goes to show how serious this issue is."