The Scottish Government has confirmed that on average over 100 Inter Prison Transfers involving individuals being accommodated out with HMP Inverness happen each month.
The highest number of inter prison transfers took place in January 2020, when 141 individuals were moved. However, in August 2020, 103 Inter Prison Transfers took place.
The Scottish Government confirmed there are a variety of reasons for Inter Prison Transfers including:
- “where an individual has specific needs which cannot be met within the normal prison of allocation e.g. access to specific programmes or regimes (protection);
- when it is necessary for good order/security to locate offenders away from one another;
- where the establishment does not accommodate certain categories of offenders e.g. women, young offenders and those committed for a sexual offence;
- when the offence has been committed in another Sheriffdom and the individual has received a short custodial sentence;”
It was also confirmed that rehabilitation activities were suspended at HMP Inverness in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While “the establishment does deliver a number of sessional group activities focussing on substance misuse and relationships”, HMP Inverness does not deliver offending behaviour programmes designed for individuals serving longer sentences. Individuals qualifying for these programmes are transferred to another prison which can deliver them.
Highlands and Islands MSP, Edward Mountain, says this new information is further proof that Inverness desperately needs a modern prison.
Edward Mountain MSP commented:
“It is totally unfair that we are asking our valued prison staff to work in a prison that is not fit for purpose.
The huge number of transfers prove that we need a new prison.
The current prison only has a design capacity of 93, which is clearly insufficient given the long-term problems with overcrowding.
We desperately need a modern prison which can accommodate more individuals from the Highlands and provides more rehabilitation services too.
This SNP Government promised the Highlands a new prison over ten years ago, which it still hasn’t delivered.
I am continuing to press for a modern prison to be built – it is long overdue.”
