Meeting of the Parliament 24 February 2016
I presume that the member is referring to the recent HM inspectorate of prisons for Scotland report on HMP Cornton Vale. The report highlighted a number of areas in which significant improvements have been made as a result of the actions of staff at Cornton Vale. Equally, it highlighted areas in which further improvements are needed, which include night sanitation.
The member will be aware that the Scottish Prison Service has proposed that, while it starts the decommissioning process at Cornton Vale, just over half the women there will be relocated to the young offenders institution at Polmont. I have approved that proposal, which will be implemented in the coming months and should be taken forward by the summer. That will allow women who have experienced problems with night sanitation facilities at Cornton Vale to be relocated to Polmont while the SPS starts to decommission the Cornton Vale facility with a view to creating and building the new national facility for 80 women in the next couple of years.