Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2026 [Draft]
26 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Substance Misuse in Prisons
The point about purposeful activity has been raised by, probably, all speakers in the debate. Over the years, I have had the privilege of visiting HMP Grampian fairly regularly, and it provides some absolutely wonderful purposeful activity. One of the issues and challenges that it faces is access to third sector funding, given that many of the organisations that are involved are external organisations that come in. I put on the record that it is not just the issues around overcrowding and suchlike that are a challenge around purposeful activity.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20875, in the name of Audrey Nicoll, on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee, on its substance misuse...
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I am very proud to open the debate on the Criminal Justice Committee’s report into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons. I thank our exc...
Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I give my thanks to Audrey Nicoll in her capacity as convener of the Criminal Justice Committee. I will start by echoing the committee’s conclusion that a pu...
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Scotland’s prison estate does not need to seek its troubles. Inmate numbers are at record levels, staff are reporting unprecedented challenges and prisoners ...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
The committee launched its inquiry because repeated investigations, powerful testimony from families and staff, and the findings of the people’s panel all sh...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I begin by thanking the Criminal Justice Committee for its work on this inquiry. The evidence that it heard and included in the report is sobering, urgent an...
Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the Criminal Justice Committee’s report on substance use in Scotland’s prisons and thank the committee members for their care in ensuring that live...
Audrey Nicoll
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I am afraid that the member is concluding.
Elena Whitham
SNP
If we want safer communities, fewer deaths and lower reoffending, we must ensure that our prisons are places where recovery is supported, dignity is upheld a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I remind all members who wish to speak in the debate to ensure that they have, in fact, pressed their request-to-speak button.16:20
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It is clear from reading the findings of the Criminal Justice Committee’s inquiry into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons that the issue...
Audrey Nicoll
SNP
The point about purposeful activity has been raised by, probably, all speakers in the debate. Over the years, I have had the privilege of visiting HMP Grampi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I will give you the time back for the intervention, Mr Griffin.
Mark Griffin
Lab
Thank you. I appreciate the points that Audrey Nicoll has made. However, the point that prison management made to me was that those issues were down to overc...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
The Criminal Justice Committee’s inquiry into substance abuse in prisons was at times harrowing, often emotional when the committee met affected prisoners an...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
We move to closing speeches. I call Maggie Chapman to close on behalf of the Scottish Greens.16:30
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
The debate has reinforced something that many of us already knew: substance misuse in prison is not incidental; it is endemic and, as Elena Whitham highlight...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a former deputy director of the Leverhulme research centre for forensic science at th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call Sue Webber to close on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives.16:39
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer—I thought that you had forgotten about me.Under the SNP, Scotland’s prisons have become warehouses for addiction. The committee’...
Angela Constance
SNP
Will Ms Webber give way?
Sue Webber
Con
If Ms Constance does not mind, I will not. I am a last-minute addition to the speakers list. Perhaps I will give way as I get through my speech; I am only fo...
Maree Todd (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
Tapadh leibh, Oifigeir Riaghlaidh. I thank all committee members for their contributions to the debate. Drug and alcohol use in prison is a public health cha...
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
I call Liam Kerr to wind up the debate on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee.16:49
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
A key function of the committee system in a unicameral Parliament is to be independent of Government and party. At the outset, it is important to put on reco...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
That concludes the debate on the substance misuse in prisons inquiry, on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee. I will allow a moment or two for members o...