New Shotts Prison has 'best accommodation' says inspector

New facilities were built next to the site of the old prison buildings at Shotts

Scotland's maximum security jail has been praised for providing some of the best accommodation for prisoners in the country.

HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire has been completely rebuilt beside the site of the old facilities.

In one of his last reports, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Brigadier Hugh Monro said the new buildings had led to a sense of stability and safety.

The jail houses long-term prisoners, including those on life sentences.

Brig Monro, who is due to stand down in the summer, carried out his inspection at Shotts in March.

The original prison was built in 1978 but six years ago the decision was taken to demolish it and develop new facilities. The new prison became fully operational in November last year.

Kiosk system

In his report, Brig Monro said the move to the new facilities, where all prisoners have their own cells with shower and toilet, has been successfully achieved.

He said the fact Shotts was not overcrowded - it is designed to hold 538 men and actually has just under that number - has led to a sense of stability and safety.

His report stated: "The 'new' HMP Shotts is a brand new prison and provides some of the best accommodation in the prison estate.

"There is no sharing of cells and each cell has a shower and toilet, providing a greatly improved and much more hygienic way of managing prisoners."

The chief inspector, however, did raise concerns about a lack of storage space in the new cells.

He said: "I am somewhat disappointed that these modern single cells do not provide sufficient storage space for prisoners' personal effects and this has caused prisoners to make their own ad hoc ways of storing everything from spare clothes to CDs and towels."

Brig Monro also said there had been a "missed opportunity" in the fact the new HMP Shotts had not been fitted with "a computerised prisoner management system, along the lines of the 'kiosk' systems at HMPs Addiewell and Kilmarnock".

'Safe prison'

He urged prison bosses at Shotts to consider installing a similar system "in order to provide improved management and care of prisoners".

According to his report, the maximum security jail is functioning well and is a "safe prison".

He concluded: "The sense of stability and safety is in part due to a modern prison which is well equipped and is not overcrowded.

"Too often in other 'redeveloped' prisons I see prisoners sharing single cells and I reiterate that this is wrong; viewing HMP Shotts strengthens me in this belief.

"Single cells should be treated as such in all prisons and should only be 'doubled up' in cases of dire need."

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: "The SPS welcomes the report, in particular the inspector's comments that Shotts is a well-managed, safe and stable prison, with good relationships between staff and prisoners.

"We acknowledge the recommendations made within the report, and the service will take action in the coming months to address these points."