SPSMSPs were only made aware of the extent of the worst prison disorder seen in Scotland in a decade six weeks after the fact in the media.
The incident, which involved around 30 inmates at HMP & YOI Polmont, required additional officers from four other jails to help restore order.
STV News reported on September 26 that a riot involving prisoners armed with “homemade weapons” had forced a wing to be locked down at the jail.
The disorder resulted in several officers suffering minor injuries.
Linda Pollock, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), told BBC News in late October it was an example of “bubbling tension” caused by overcrowding at the facility.
SPS
SPSImages released by SPS revealed the extent of the destruction within YOI Polmont, including broken furniture, glass strewn across the floor, and panelling torn from the walls and ceilings.
Last month, Police Scotland said it was investigating the riot.
The Criminal Justice Committee has written to justice secretary Neil Gray and Ms Pollock to register “serious concerns” regarding communication, transparency and strategic oversight surrounding major operational disturbances within the SPS estate.
MSPs were unaware of the scale of the incident until it was reported at the end of last month.
The committee says it “remains deeply dissatisfied with the handling of information” following the disorder.
Committee convener David Linden said: “Beyond the immediate issues of transparency, the committee is urgently concerned with how the Scottish Prison Service is assessing and mitigating the ongoing risk of recurrence.”
The letter has called for “a clear explanation of who took the decision not to inform Parliament, when ministers first became aware of the incident and its seriousness, and whether the Cabinet Secretary knew that the committee had not been notified.”
SPSIt also asks for an explanation of the reasons for the decision not to inform the committee and for who was responsible.
When questioned on the issue last week at the Criminal Justice Committee, Gray said he would “reflect” on the dissemination of information.
He said: “There is no desire to (not) be in any way transparent or as transparent as we possibly can be in operational matters such as this.
“As I’ve given as a commitment, we will reflect upon the dissemination of information on operational decisions and matters such as this to ensure that the committee is given the necessary information it needs.”
The Scottish Government said that, subject to parliamentary approval, the Justice Secretary will deliver a statement to Parliament on Tuesday afternoon concerning the recent disorder at Polmont.
It said a response to the Criminal Justice Committee’s letter will be sent in due course.
The Scottish Prison Service has been contacted for comment.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
