Prison row hots up
10 Mar 05
SNP calls for an end to private prison contract
The SNP has called for the Scottish Executive to bring all of Scotland's prison service back into public control, following a TV documentary about Kilmarnock Prison.
The BBC programme claimed that staff turned a blind eye to heroin abuse and failed to monitor vulnerable inmates.
However Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson rejected suggestions that the contract with Premier be suspended immediately and said that it was "too early" to talk about it at this stage.
Premier, which has a 25 year deal to run the prison, also wants to build and run a new 700 cell jail at Low Moss near Kirkintilloch.