Further delays to Inverness jail plans?
A NEW £80.5 million Inverness prison to replace the city’s overcrowded Porterfield site has slipped down the priority list, a north MSP has been told.
There were hopes of a spring 2021 start on the new HMP Highland, to be built beside the city’s retail park, but last year it was pushed back to October 2021.
Now it appears there could be further delay.
The Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf told Highland Conservative MSP Edward Mountain, following his parliamentary question on Wednesday, that facilities for female inmates and a new Barlinnie were top priorities before Inverness.
Mr Mountain said later: “Considering that HMP Inverness seems to be constantly running over capacity, it is vital we build the new prison for the Highlands as a matter of urgency.
“I am disappointed that Inverness is not further up the priority list. This can only result in more overcrowding and prisoners from the Highlands being moved to prisons outside the region, making family contact more difficult.”
In 2018 Porterfield’s average occupancy level was just over 120 per cent.
Last year when HMP Highland’s start date was knocked back six months, a spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We have purchased a site and we have planning permission for the new prison and it will go ahead if funding is available.”
