Welcome For Executive Focus On Prison Performance Over Costs

“Peterhead’s Excellent Record Must Now Be Rewarded” says MSP Stewart Stevenson

Parliament today debated an SNP motion noting the Executive’s failure to bring forward an appropriate strategy for Scotland’s prisons. With the Justice Mininster’s amendment to the SNP motion stating, inter alia, “.. work to upgrade the estate must deliver prisons capable of providing sufficient humane and secure accomodation while delivering value for money”, hopes have risen that the world class unit at Peterhead will be protected.

Speaking in the debate, Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson said,

“The Executive’s amendment gives priority, clearly and unambiguously, to what prisons do over what prisons cost. After the prevarications, distortions and errors – I use that word out of charity – in the evidence given by the head of the prison service to the Justice 1 Committee on 23 October, it’s clear that ministers are not going to heed Cameron’s single-minded focus on cost regardless of outcome.

“Running a public service like a business – as Mr Cameron has often stated that he wishes to – is to fail to understand that the dividends we want are societal rather than fiscal.

“We want protection for society, punishment for offenders and reform of their future behaviour.”

Speaking after the debate, Stevenson observed,

“Staff morale in Peterhead Prison has been under pressure for some time because of the very lengthy delay in bringing forward plans for redevelopment of the present buildings which date back over 100 years.

“I now see a chink of light in that Ministers seem prepared to resist a single-minded focus on cost when society has a whole has greater concerns about successful treatment for sex offenders.

“Peterhead’s record is unassailable. For the first time we see the Executive beginning to share the priorities of the wider community. Now is the time reward Peterhead’s success.”