Rhoda Grant is calling on the Scottish Government to replace or improve Inverness’ Porterfield Prison in a debate at Holyrood tomorrow (Thursday 20th. September).

She will challenge Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill over his piecemeal approach in dealing with the problems facing Scottish prisons.

Recent figures have shown that the Inverness prison is operating at 50% over capacity and that in August there were 170 prisoners held there – when it was designed for 104.

"There can be no doubt that this will put serious and sustained pressure on prison officers who are seeking to manage prisoners in a building that is not "fit for purpose", she said.

"The SNP minority government has decided not to proceed with the previous administrations plans for the building of a new prison at Bishopbriggs.

"They have also announced replacement prisons for Aberdeen and Peterhead, ignoring the problems in Inverness," she said.

She commented that following an inspection at the Prison in 2004 there had been a number of measures taken to improve facilities including the provision of toilets in segregation cells, the provision of recreational facilities, better support to tackle drug addiction and access to work and to the gym for vulnerable prisoners.

"This government will have no credibility if its only response is to blame the past government for the problems in Inverness Prison.

"They made statements when in opposition that led voters to believe that they would take action – and action is what is required.

"Action on Inverness is missing from their published strategies, meaning that nothing is being done to address this problem," she said.

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