Chamber and committees

In considering Greater Glasgow'sproposal for their re‑configuration of maternity services I will be lookingat the degree to which Greater Glasgow have taken a regional approach to maternityprovision.

Our prison reforms havealready resulted in real changes:

We have improved the basicconditions in which we expect offenders to tackle offending behaviour.

The Scottish Prison Service(SPS) has moved some long-term prisoners out of Barlinnie to reduceovercrowding.

Accommodation for male YoungOffenders has been consolidated in improved conditions at Polmont.

For those who still have toslop out at Barlinnie and Polmont, we have provided more time and betterfacilities to do so.

A new open prison unit forfemale offenders has been created at Cornton Vale.

We have improved the prisonregime and we are working to maintain these improvements at a time of recordprisoner numbers, for example through:

increased time out of cellat Barlinnie;

improved medical care acrossthe board, and

improved and expanded drugtreatment services.

The SPS has deliveredincreased numbers of programmes and approved activities to address offendingbehaviour, prepare for release and reduce reoffending.

Education provision has beenimproved and expanded across the board with the emphasis on literacy, numeracyand employability including acquiring recognised qualifications.

We have invested to improvethe fabric of the prison estate we inherited:

This has allowed SPS torefurbish two halls at Barlinnie, including the provision of toilets and powerin cells, with another hall due to reopen later this year.

Conditions in parts of LowMoss have been improved by installing cubicles in some dormitory accommodation.

Electric power has beeninstalled in cells in Peterhead, Perth and Polmont.

SPS has demolished very pooraccommodation at Glenochil.

The National InductionCentre for long-term prisoners based at Shotts has doubled in size.

Also at Shotts, A Hall hasbeen refurbished.

We have embarked on a majorprogramme to modernise the prison estate:

The SPS has created about500 modern places in two new houseblocks at Edinburgh and Polmont,investments totalling £35 million brought in on time and to budget.

Work is under way on similarnew houseblocks at Edinburgh and Glenochil, a total investment of £50 million.

We are committed to securing1,400 modern places in two new prisons.

The SPS has acquired landfor these two new prisons and has already secured planning permission for oneof them.

We are committed tocomprehensive redevelopment of four key sites, effectively creating four newprisons at Edinburgh, Glenochil, Perth, Polmont.

Through these investments,we are making real progress in ending slopping out:

In 2000, there were 1,900 slopping out places,

Now there are 700 fewer.

By the end of this year, we plan to eliminate, afurther 200.

I am determined to carrythrough this reform programme so that Scotland has modern prisons where staff can work withprisoners to reduce reoffending. I am therefore announcing today a package ofmeasures to accelerate our reforms to improve prison conditions and make moreeffective use of custody:

We now plan to remove afurther 550 slopping-out places by 2006.

We will create 200 newplaces by using rapid-build units on existing sites where the land andinfrastructure can best support the additional numbers.

We will use electronictagging to reduce the number of accused persons remanded in custody.

We will enhance thearrangements for home leave for long-term prisoners at the end of theirsentences to reintegrate them better into society.

We shall seek earlyintroduction of legislation to allow for home detention curfews underelectronic monitoring for prisoners nearing the end of their sentences.

These measures areconsistent with our overall vision for the criminal justice service in Scotlandwhich deals fairly and effectively with offenders and reduces reoffending byproviding robust and effective penalties, including community sentences.

I have also instructed the SPSto update its estates strategy to take account of our existing plans forcreating new and fully modernised prisons, the impact of the measures I amannouncing today and our wider reforms.

Having examined LordBonomy’s judgement in Napier against this background, we believe there aregrounds for appealing his conclusions. We shall therefore do so.

Successful⁽¹⁾ Appeals by Accused Persons Against Conviction or Sentence,

2000-2002

Note: 1. Includes appeals where the conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered, or where the original sentence was increased.