Press Release

5^th September 2002

McNeil Comments on Capacity Levels at HMP Greenock
Commenting on recent reports of capacity levels at HMP Greenock, MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, today said:

"I am not completely surprised to hear that Greenock Prison is operating at above capacity. Throughout the country, we need several thousand more prison places to ease overcrowding and cope with future rises in the prison population.

"That is why the Justice Minister, Jim Wallace, today announced that, over the next three years, £110 million will be spent modernising the prison service. This is the largest ever investment in Scotland's publicly run prisons and will see two new 700-place prisons being built in central Scotland. 1100 new or refurbished prison places will also be created.

"This investment will ease overcrowding, thus helping the prison service do its job more effectively, cut re-offending rates, protect communities and hopefully help grind the revolving doors outside too many of our prisons to a halt."
ENDS

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