Scotland's Justice Secretary Neil Gray has instructed the Scottish Prison Service to investigate the use of "temporary modular accommodation," essentially portable cell blocks, as a means to address prison overcrowding. This directive comes as the Scottish government seeks to find immediate solutions to increasing inmate populations, even with the upcoming completion of new facilities.
The long-delayed HMP Highland in Inverness is expected to open in spring 2027, and the £1 billion HMP Glasgow, replacing Barlinnie, is scheduled for completion in 2028. However, Gray stated these facilities alone will not suffice for the long term. He has tasked the Scottish Prison Service with identifying ways to increase capacity beyond existing estates, including consideration of modular units and additional housing blocks at current prisons.
Gray told members of the Scottish Parliament, "I have instructed the Scottish Prison Service to exhaust all options for further maximisation of the existing estate, and to set out an approach for how we can further increase the number of places." He added, "This will include the affordability and deliverability of additional capacity, including consideration of temporary modular accommodation and further house blocks at existing prisons. I expect business cases on these soon."
Portable cells typically feature an ensuite bathroom with a shower and toilet, along with a desk, chair, and bed. While Scotland currently has no such modular cells, prefabricated "Rapid Deployment Cells" are in use in England. These units, which can be stacked, have a lifespan of 15 years and are utilized for low-risk and female prisoners on existing prison sites. Approximately 800 such units have been constructed in England, with plans for an additional 1,000. An evaluation last year indicated that both inmates and staff found these units satisfactory, with prison officers reporting a reduction in violence and self-harm.
Phil Fairlie of the Prison Officers’ Association welcomed the prospect of additional accommodation, emphasizing its necessity for staff safety and security. However, he cautioned that any expansion must be accompanied by a proportional increase in staffing levels. "Those extra spaces must come with the subsequent staff increase needed too, and we will watch with interest to see what form those accommodation spaces take," Fairlie stated. He expressed hope that these measures would serve as a short-to-medium term solution, contributing to a long-term goal of reducing the overall prison population.
Justice campaigner Kenny Stewart raised concerns about the structural security and cost-effectiveness of modular buildings, questioning the feasibility of constructing them at a lower cost than traditional prisons. Criminologist Dr. Hannah Graham of Stirling University described the addition of house blocks at existing prisons as a "band-aid measure" that does not address the root causes of Scotland's high prison population and overcrowding. She suggested that other government proposals are more likely to tackle the contributing factors.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service affirmed that security would be the paramount consideration for all new accommodations. "We need the right level of capacity to safely and securely manage our population and, working alongside Scottish Government, will assess all available options," the spokesperson said.