A Highland MSP has criticised SNP ministers for the length of time they are taking to replace an overcrowded jail in Inverness.
Conservative Mary Scanlon hit out after Scotland’s Chief Inspector of Prisons David Strang said the overcrowding crisis at Porterfield Prison has created a “revolving door” for offenders who end up behind bars over and over again.
Mr Strang said inmates at the 112-year-old Inverness jail were being released and committing fresh crimes because of the lack of education and rehabilitation opportunities available to them.
Mrs Scanlon said: “When in opposition the SNP were quick to criticise the government of the day for not addressing the overcrowding in Porterfield, yet seven years into a SNP government the replacement prison for the Highlands seems as far off as ever.”
Ms Scanlon said was unlikely that a new prison would be opened before2019 and lamented the fact that Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was unable to say where it would be built and how many prisoners it would hold.
“Many people will question if there will be a new prison in the Highlands in the next five years,” she added.
“There is no doubt that the current prison needs replacing but progress seems limited.”
Mr MacAskill has told parliament the new prison would cost about £60million – £20million less than the new HMP Grampian “superjail” in Peterhead.
“The number of prisoners that it will hold will be a matter for the Scottish Prison Service,” he added.
“I can confirm that it is budgeted for 2019 and the Scottish Prison Service is working actively with Highland Council to ensure that an appropriate site can be discovered.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Until those discussions are satisfactorily concluded, a date and location for the construction of the prison cannot be confirmed.”
A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: “We continue to work with Highland Council to find a suitable site and have the funds in our budget, 2014-2015.”