Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Official Report 893KB pdf

Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your advice on how the Parliament can urgently consider the effects of the very important announcement today by the United Kingdom Government that it intends to authorise a mass release of prisoners from English and Welsh prisons.

The matter is of real concern for Scotland, not least given the opposition to such mass releases of prisoners, especially from the Conservatives. I am aware of the irony that it is their party that supports the mass release of prisoners in this case.

The people of Scotland will require answers to urgent and important questions on this proposed mass release of prisoners. First, given that the reason that is stated for the mass release is overcrowding in English and Welsh prisons and that most commentators will point to the sustained and systematic underfunding of justice services as the reason behind that overcrowding, what is the effect on Scottish prisons of that UK underfunding?

Secondly, there is nothing to prevent any of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of prisoners—we do not have the detail—who are released from their sentence from coming to Scotland and, potentially, reoffending. Such a fear has been expressed very often by Tory members. That could impose a further burden on the Scottish justice system and put further pressure on the prison population here in Scotland. What consideration has been given by the UK Government to those consequences?

Finally, given the potential impact on Scotland, we need to know whether the UK Government consulted the Scottish Government on or even warned it of the proposed mass release—or is it the case that, once again, one of “Scotland’s two Governments” made a decision without any regard to the interests of the people of Scotland or the responsibilities of the Scottish Government?

As I am sure you will agree, Presiding Officer, the UK prison crisis needs to be understood in terms of its effects on Scotland, and I would be grateful for your guidance on how that understanding may be facilitated.

Thank you, Mr Brown. I am sure that you will be aware that that matter is for the Parliamentary Bureau. I suggest that you take it up with the Minister for Parliamentary Business or with your business manager, who can raise it in the appropriate fashion.