Freedom of Information

The Scottish Prison Service Publication Scheme

Produced as required by the

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002

 

Section 1: Introduction to the publication scheme

 

1.1 Welcome to the Scottish Prison Service Publication Scheme. This is a guide to the information routinely made available by the Scottish Prison Service, as required under section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

1.2. The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides individuals with a right of access to all recorded information held by Scotland's Public Authorities. Anyone can use this right, and information can only be withheld where FOISA expressly permits it.

1.3 Under section 23 of the Act, the Scottish Prison Service must adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make publicly available. Our scheme has been approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner, who is responsible for the enforcement of the Act. In addition, we have to review the scheme from time to time. In adopting (or reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interests in:

• Allowing public access to information we hold; and
• The publication of reasons for the decisions we make.

1.4 Alongside FOISA, the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIR's) provide a separate right of access to the environmental information that we hold. This publication scheme also contains details of the environmental information that we routinely make available.

1.5 The SPS Publication Scheme sets out:

• the classes of information we publish or intend to publish;
• how information of each class is, or is intended to be published; and
• whether the published information is, or is intended to be, available to the public free of charge or on payment

1.6 Where information is not published under this scheme, you can request it from us under FOISA or, in the case or environmental information, the EIR's.

 

Section 2: About the Scottish Prison Service (SPS)

 

2.1 The SPS is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. It is legally required to deliver custodial services for all those sent by the courts. The purpose of the Service is to maintain secure custody and good order within prisons, whilst caring for prisoners with humanity and delivering opportunities which give the best chance to reduce re-offending once a prisoner returns to the community. SPS is a public services delivery agency which runs a number of operational services to implement the strategic objectives and policies of the Scottish Government. In addition, the SPS is also required to monitor the contract for the transport of prisoners to and from courts

2.2 The Government's purpose is to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth. SPS services are designed to support safer and stronger communities and to deliver progress towards meeting the national outcomes. SPS aims to be a leader in high quality public services and offender management that helps reduce re-offending on release and contributes to better outcomes for each offender and their community.

2.3 The Chief Executive is accountable to the Scottish Ministers for the operation of SPS, as described in The Scottish Prison Service Agency Framework Document. He is supported by the SPS Executive Board.

2.4 The SPS Executive Board comprises senior SPS staff (Directors)_who are accountable to the Chief Executive for their areas of responsibility. The SPS Executive Board also includes non-executive Directors appointed by Scottish Ministers. The role of the Executive Board is to support the Chief Executive in monitoring and improving the performance of SPS, reviewing and managing risks to SPS achieving its aims, and realising the SPS vision of correctional excellence.

2.5 The Vision of the SPS is Correctional Excellence: to be recognised as the leader in prison's correctional work which helps reduce re-offending and thereby offers value for money to the tax payer. SPS will aim to ensure that:

• Scotland's prisons can fairly be viewed as the leaders in correctional services, delivering effective prisoner opportunities which help reduce re-offending;
• The prison estate is fit for the 21^st century;
• Scotland's prisons are acknowledged as providing the highest standards of service delivery across their full range of activities;
• Scottish prisons' staff will be respected by the nation for their professionalism, their wide range of skills and the difficult job they do on behalf of society; and
• In the necessary pursuit of demonstrating value for money to the taxpayer, public sector costs will be comparative.

2.6 The values of the Scottish Prison Service are:

• Integrity, and honesty in dealing with people;
• Fairness and justice, respecting the needs and rights of prisoners and staff;
• Mutual support, encouraging teamwork and commitment;
• Caring for the safety and well being of prisoners and staff; and openness about our aspirations, our successes and our failures, coupled with the willingness to learn.

2.7 Any comments or suggestions on the publication scheme should be addressed to:

Tom Fox
Head of Corporate Affairs 
Scottish Prison Service
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
EH12 9HW
E-mail: gaolinfo@sps.pnn.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 8463

 

Section 3: Preparing the Publication Scheme

 

3.1 The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 requires public authorities not only to maintain a publication scheme approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner but also from time to time to review the scheme. When preparing or reviewing our publication scheme, we are obliged by FOISA to have due regards to the public interest in providing access to the information that we hold which relates to:

• the service we provide;
• the cost of those services;
• the standards of this services;
• the facts that inform the important decisions we take; and
• the reasoning that informs our decisions

3.2 In preparing this publication scheme, The Scottish Prison Service has considered the information it holds and attempted to categorise relevant aspects of this within easy to access sections of this Scheme.

 

Section 4 Accessing Information Under The Scheme

 

4.1 Information available under our publication scheme will normally be available through the routes described below. Section 12 - Classes of Information provides more details on the information available under the scheme, along with additional guidance on how the information falling within each "class" may be accessed.

Online:

Most information listed in our publication scheme is available to download from our website at http://www.sps.gov.uk/default.aspx. In many cases a link within Section 12: Classes of Information will direct you to the relevant page or document. Where no such link is present, you can use our website's "Search" facility. If you are still having trouble finding any document listed under our scheme, then please call the SPS Communications Branch on 0131 244 8476 for further assistance.

By email:

If the information you seek is listed in our publication scheme but is not published on our website, we can send it to you by email, wherever possible. When requesting information from us, please provide a telephone number so that we can telephone you to clarify details, if necessary.

By phone:

Information can also be requested from us over the telephone. Please call the SPS Communications Branch on 0131 244 8463 to request information available under this scheme.

By post:

All information under the scheme will normally be available in paper copy form. Please address your request to Tom Fox at the above address.

Where possible, documents are made available online through this website, but requests can also be made for printed copies to be sent by post, or for electronic files to be sent by e-mail. We will also take all reasonable steps to provide information in alternative formats (e.g. Braille, audio tape) and languages if required. When writing to us to request information, please include your name and address, full details of the information or documents you would like to receive, and any fee applicable (see Section 6: Our Charging Policy for further information on fees). Please also include a telephone number so we can telephone you to clarify any details, if necessary.

Advice and assistance:

Requests for copies of documents covered by the Scheme, and any other questions about it, should be addressed to:

Tom Fox
Head of Corporate Affairs
Scottish Prison Service
Room 338
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh EH12 9HW
Tel: 0131 244 8463
Fax: 0131 244 8648
E-mail: gaolinfo@sps.pnn.gov.uk

 

Section 5: Information that we may withhold

 

5.1 All information covered by our publication scheme can either be accessed through our website, or will be provided promptly following our receipt of your request.

5.2 Our aim in maintaining this publication scheme is to be as open as possible. You should note, however, that there may be limited circumstances where information will be withheld from one of the classes of information listed in Section 12 - Classes of Information. Information will only be withheld, however, where FOISA (or, in the case of environmental information, the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004) expressly permits it.

5.3 Information may be withheld, for example, where its disclosure would breach the law of confidentiality; harm an organisation's commercial interests; endanger the protection of the environment; seriously prejudice law enforcement, legal proceedings or our regulatory or enforcement activity; or where the disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law. We may also withhold information if its disclosure would seriously prejudice security and good order in prisons. We may also withhold information which is personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998.

5.4 Whenever information is withheld we will inform you of this, and will set out why that information cannot be released. Even where information is withheld it may, in many cases, be possible to provide copies with the withheld information edited out.

5.5 If you wish to complain about any information which has been withheld from you, please refer to Section 10 - Complaints.

 

Section 6: Our Charging Policy

 

6.1 For those with access to our website we will ask you to use or print copies of documents contained on the site from there. Information on our website will be available in this way free of charge (i.e. there is no charge by us, although the user would of course have to meet any charges by their Internet service provider, personal printing costs etc).

6.2 For those without access to the SPS website (and/or a printer) a single print out of any document as it appears on the web site can be provided free of charge. A single hard copy of any document which is not available on the website can also be provided free of charge.

6.3 Requests for more than one copy of print outs of material on the web site or for more than one hard copy will attract a charge for the total cost of printing, photocopying, postage of all the copies. Printing and photocopying is charged at 10p per A4 sheet for black and white copying, 30p per A4 sheet for colour copying.

6.5 If charges are to be made for multiple copies you will be told at the time of your request and these will be payable in advance.

6.6 Charges for other information supplied under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (i.e. requests for information not contained in the publication scheme) will be covered by The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 which were laid before Parliament in September 2004 - http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/20043244.htm.

 

Section 7: Our Copyright Policy

 

7.1 The Scottish Prison Service is a Crown body and the information we produce is subject to Crown copyright, which is administered by the Queen's Printer for Scotland. The material listed in this publication scheme is Crown copyright unless stated otherwise. The copyright in some of the material which may be found in this publication scheme has been waived. This means that you can re-use this material freely. Categories of material for which copyright has been waived include: press notices, legislation, and explanatory notes on the legislation, ministerial speeches, consultation documents, documents featured on official websites (except where expressly indicated otherwise), headline statistics and unpublished public records. More details of these and other categories can be found at: http://www.oqps.gov.uk or by contacting OQPS at:

OQPS Licensing Division
St Clements House
2.16 Colegate
Norwich
NR3 1BQ
Tel: 01603 621000
Fax: 01603 723000

Licensing@oqps.gov.uk

For other types of material, the supply of documents under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) does not give the person or organisation who receives them an automatic right to re-use the documents in a way that would infringe copyright, for example, by making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public.

Brief extracts of any of the material included in this publication scheme may be reproduced under the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 (sections 29 and 30) for the purposes of research and non-commercial purposes, private study, criticism, review and new reporting.

Details of the arrangements for re-using Crown copyright material can be found on the website of the Office of Public Sector Information at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm or by contacting the Stationery Office: :

•  through their online bookshop at www.tso.co.uk/bookshop
•  or by calling 0870 600 5522
•  or by visiting one of their bookshops, UK Agents or Distributors across the country. See TSO's list of UK Agents and Distributors to locate your nearest - http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/bookstore.asp?FO=1233470

Authorisation to re-use copyright material not owned by the Crown should be sought from the copyright holders concerned.

 

Section 8: SPS Records Management Policy

 

8.1 The SPS Records Management Policy is designed to comply with the Scottish Ministers Code of Practice on Records Management and with the Freedom of Information Act.

8.2 A "record" is recorded information, regardless of format, which has been created, received and maintained by the SPS in the course of its business or in complying with its obligations. It does not include documents that are ephemeral or of very short-term value (eg invitations, many e-mails).

8.3 Individual work areas in SPS bear responsibility for records management in their area. This entails control of the creation, maintenance, filing, use and disposal of records. Not all of the operating decisions of SPS are undertaken by civil servants employed by Scottish Ministers, and where appropriate, this policy also applies to SPS's delivery partners.

8.4 More information on this policy can be found (insert URL) or by contacting the Head of Communications at the above address.

 

Section 9: Feedback

 

9.1 FOISA requires that we review our publication scheme from time to time. As a result, we welcome feedback on how we can develop our scheme further. If you would to comment on any aspect of this publication scheme, then please contact us. You may, for example wish to tell us about:

• other information that you would like to see included in the scheme;
• whether you found the scheme easy to use;
• whether you found the publication scheme useful;
• whether our staff were helpful;
• other ways in which our publication scheme can be improved.

 

9.2 Please send any comments or suggestions to:

Tom Fox
Head of Corporate Affairs
Scottish Prison Service
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
EH12 9HW
E-mail: gaolinfo@sps.pnn.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 8463

 

Section 10: Complaints

 

10.1 Our aim is to make our publication scheme as user-friendly as possible, and we hope that you can access all the information we publish with ease. If you do wish to complain about any aspect of the publication scheme, however, then please contact Tom Fox at the above address, and we will try and resolve your complaint as quickly as possible.

 

10.2 Any complaint will be acknowledged within two working days of receipt and we will respond in full within twenty working days.

 

10.3 Serving prisoners can also complain through the internal prison complaints procedure set out in the Prison Rules and, if they remain dissatisfied, to Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

 

10.4 You have legal rights to access information under this scheme and a right of appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are dissatisfied with our response. These rights apply only to information requests made in writing* or another recordable format. If you are unhappy with our responses to your request you can ask us to review it and if you are still unhappy, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

 

10.5 The Commissioner's website has a guide to this three step process, and he operates an enquiry service on Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. His office can be contacted as follows:

Scottish Information Commissioner

Kinburn Castle

Doubledykes Road

St Andrews

Fife

KY16 9DS

Tel: 01334 464610

E-mail: enquiries@itspublicknowledge.info

Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info

*verbal requests for environmental information carry similar rights.

 

Section 11: How to access information which is not available under this scheme

 

11.1 If the information you are seeking is not available under this publication scheme, then you may wish to request it from us. The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides you with a right of access to the information we hold, subject to certain exemptions. The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs) separately provide a right of access to the environmental information we hold, while the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) provides a right of access to any personal information about you that we hold. Again, these rights are subject to certain exceptions or exemptions.

 

11.2 Should you wish to request a copy of any information that we hold that is not available under this scheme, please write to:

Tom Fox
Head of Corporate Affairs
Scottish Prison Service
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
EH12 9HW
E-mail: gaolinfo@sps.pnn.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 8463

 

11.3 Charges for information which is not available under the scheme:

The charges for information which is available under this scheme are set out under section 6 - Our Charging Policy. If you submit a request to us for information which is not available under the scheme the charges will be based on the following calculations:

 

11.4 General information requests:

• There will be no charge for information requests which cost us £100 or less to process.
• Where information costs between £100 and £600 to provide you may be asked to pay 10% of the cost. That is, if you were to ask for information that cost us £600 to provide, you would be asked to pay £50, that calculated on the basis of a waiver for the first £100 and 10% of the remaining £500. We are not obliged to respond to requests which will cost us over £600 to process.
• In calculating any fee, staff time will be calculated at actual cost per staff member hourly salary rate to a maximum of £15 per person per hour.
• We do not charge for the time to determine whether we hold the information requested, nor for the time it takes to decide whether the information can be released. Charges may be made for locating, retrieving and providing information to you.
• In the event that we decide to impose a charge we will issue you with notification of the charge (a fees notice) and how it has been calculated. You will have three months from the date of issue of the fees notice in which to decide whether to pay the charge. The information will be provided to you on payment of the charge. If you decide not to proceed with the request there will be no charge to you.

 

11.5 Charges for environmental information:

We do not charge for the time to determine whether we hold the information requested, nor for the time it takes to decide whether the information can be released. Charges may be made for locating, retrieving and providing information to you.

In the event that we decide to impose a charge we will issue you with notification of the charge and how it has been calculated. The information will be provided to you on payment of the charge. If you decide not to proceed with the request there will be no charge to you.

Charges are calculated on the basis of the actual cost to the authority of providing the information.

• Photocopying is charged at 10p per A4 sheet for black and white copying, 30p per A4 sheet for colour copying.
• Postage is charged at actual rate for first class mail.
• Staff time is calculated at actual cost per staff member hourly salary rate to a maximum of £15 per person per hour.

The first £100 worth of information will be provided to you without charge.

Where information costs between £100 and £600 to provide you will be asked to pay 10% of the cost. That is, if you were to ask for information that cost us £600 to provide, you would be asked to pay £50, that calculated on the basis of a waiver for the first £100 and 10% of the remaining £500.

Where it would cost more than £600 to provide the information to you, however, we will ask you to pay the full cost of providing the information, with no waiver for any portion of the cost.

 

11.6 Charges for Personal Information

A fee of £10 will be charged for all Subject Access Requests i.e requests for personal information that the SPS may hold on you as an individual. Payment may be made by cheque or postal order made payable to the SPS. For existing prisoners, they should identify when making the request whether they wish monies to be deducted from their PPC or Wages.

 

Section 12: Classes of Information

12.1 This Scheme is not a list of all of the publications or information that we publish or hold. Instead, it describes categories of information that we publish or intend to publish under the Scheme. The classes are:

 

Corporate information:

This section of our Publication Scheme provides information on the corporate structures that support the service delivery and strategic decision making. It includes information on the Vision of SPS, The Chief Executive and board of Directors of SPS, the structures and responsibilities of individual directorates within SPS Headquarters, the Agency Framework agreement between SPS and Scottish Ministers and the organisation's Delivery plan together with information on financial administration and performance of SPS..

Subclasses:

• The SPS Vision: this is the main Vision of the Scottish Prison Service; to achieve Correctional Excellence. It details key aims (the mission statement) and details of what we see the main themes of delivering the service we provide.
• Prison Board - including Chief Executive message: This section details the Board of Directorates of the Scottish Prison Service and includes a short message from the Chief Executive.
• Structure of Directorates: this section details the main individual Directorates within SPS Headquarters providing details of the individual Director responsible for that area and a brief overview of the responsibility of that Directorate.
• The SPS Framework Document: this section sets out the policy and resources framework within which the SPS will operate as an Executive Agency and the matters delegated to the Chief Executive for decision, and constitutes the main authority for the Chief Executive to conduct the operations of the SPS on behalf of Scottish Ministers.
• Information on SPS Delivery Plan: the SPS Delivery Plan (formerly the Business Plan) is agreed with Scottish Ministers and sets out the key performance measures for the period. It also includes the main priorities for the SPS, including information on: the key factors identified to reduce offending; funding information; population and accommodation figures and a summary of achievements year on year with key activities for the future. The Delivery Plan is updated annually.
• Our Performance: this section contains a copy the latest Annual Accounts and Report, which review SPS performance over the previous year against the agreed financial objectives. Archived Annual Accounts and Reports are also available.
• SPS Board Minutes: This section provides copies of SPS Board minutes.
• Prisons: This section provides details of all the prisons in the SPS estate, including details of the type of prisoner it holds, contact details for the prison and visiting arrangements.

 

Information on legislation

This section of our Publication Scheme provides details of the main legal foundations for the operation of prisons in Scotland. It includes information on the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989, the Prison and Young Offenders Institution (Scotland) Rules 2006, the Directions made under the Rules and the definition of the different type of prisoners in Scotland, together with the early release arrangements for those prisoners and any future changes in legislation or additional legislation that is passed.

• Primary legislation: Information on the primary legislation which provides the main the legal foundation for the operation of prisons in Scotland e.g. the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989. The text of the Act is not held by the SPS but is available on-line from HMSO at http://www.legislation.gov.uk and can also be obtained in hard copy (subject to availability) from The Stationery Office at http://www.tso.co.uk/bookshop (see section 7 above for the telephone number)
• Secondary legislation: Information on secondary legislation which has effect in Scotland and which forms part of the legal environment within which SPS operates. E.g. the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994 The text of the 1996 Rules and of subsequent Amendment Rules Instruments are available on-line from HMSO at http://www.legislation.gov.uk and can also be obtained in hard copy (subject to availability) from The Stationery Office at http://www.tso.co.uk/bookshop. (see section 7 above for the telephone number)
• Directions: copies of Directions made under the Rules (to specify how the Rules are to be applied) and currently in force are available (in hard copy only) from SPS.

 

Information on the Administration of SPS' Functions:

This section provides information on the administration of SPS's functions, including information on financial administration and performance of SPS e.g. the latest news on the SPS, details of any future estate developments, information on our environmental policy and details of the SPS procurement Policy and Services and provides details of the contracts and reviews of services provided by SPS. It includes details of major contract awards between SPS and various service providers (for example, Addiewell Prison Limited, Kilmarnock Prison Services and Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd). It also provides details of the agreements which set out the delivery of public prison services within SPS and an overview of 'doing business with SPS'. Additionally, major documents detailing a review of service provision are set out including copies of prison inspections reports from Her Majesties Chief Inspector of Prisons Scotland and can be accessed via the SPS Publication Scheme.

• SPS News: this section provides details of the latest news on SPS related issues including archive press releases, corporate communications e.g. newsletters, speeches etc.
• Estate Development: this section provides details of Estate Development Programme for the SPS, including Key Milestones.
• Prison Industries: offenders who engage in Production Workshops are provided with opportunities which enable them to gain realistic work skills which could enhance their employability prospects upon release. This section provides information on the current range of SPS Industries products which are manufactured in SPS establishments.
• SPS Service Agreements: this section sets out the agreement between the Director of Partnerships and Commissioning and the Director of Prisons detailing the framework for performance improvement for all public prison services within the SPS.
• Contracts for Constructions and operation of prisons and the provision of services under Public Private Partnership arrangements: the text of all contracts will be available on the SPS website. Some of the contents of contracts will be omitted in accordance with exemptions contained in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
• Inspection Reports: this section contains copies of reports from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on its inspections of SPS establishments and can be accessed via our website.
• Procurement Policy and Services: this section provides information about SPS contract opportunities and SPS procurement policies and processes.
• Environmental Policy: this section provides a copy of the SPS Sustainability Policy. The purpose of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Sustainability Policy is to demonstrate our compliance with the Scottish Government's commitment to improving environmental and sustainable development performance. The Sustainability Policy supersedes the SPS Environmental Policy published in 2000.
• SPS research: the SPS undertakes or commissions a range of research on prison and prisoner issues. Some of this is done on an ad-hoc basis in relation to particular issues, but there is also a periodic Prison Survey that is carried out in relation to a wide range of issues across the prison estate. The Survey includes the views of prisoners, the results of the latest such survey being available on our website. Further information on prisons research can be obtained from:

Partnerships and Commissioning Directorate
Scottish Prison Service
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh EH12 9HW
Tel. 0131 244 8745 

E-mail: research@sps.pnn.gov.uk

 

Human Resources Information

This section provides details of a number of the Human Resource services provided in SPS. It includes services such as Employee Resourcing, Employee Relations, Occupational Health & Welfare, Pay and associated matters.

Employee Resourcing: The SPS is committed to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace. Any person, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation who can show that they meet the essential criteria for any vacancy will be invited to interview or assessment centre. SPS is also committed to recognising and celebrating the excellent work carried out by SPS employees in support of the SPS Vision and Mission. This section provides information on becoming a Prison Officer, current vacancies and Nursing Careers, together with relevant policies, including the SPS Recruitment Guidelines and Probationary Policy.

Employee Relations: The SPSis committed to working in Partnership with our four trade union partners - Prison Officers Association (Scotland), the Public and Commercial Services Union, Royal College of Nursing and Prospect. This section provides details about the benefit of Partnership Working for the whole of the SPS and provides details of existing policies such as:

• Career Breaks;
• Code of Conduct;
• Employment Extension;
• Flexible Working;
• Fixed Term employees;
• Grievance Policy and Procedure;
• Leaving the Organisation;
• Maternity and Parenting Policy;
• Mediation service;
• Membership of Territorial Army;
• Official Secrets Act;
• Partnership Working - Forward Together;
• Part Time Working;
• Personal Performance Management System;
• Probationary Policy;
• Re-appointment;
• Religion and Belief, Religion and Culture;
• Retirement Planning Support:
• Secondary Employment; and
• Standards of Behaviour - Relationships At Work.

Occupational Health and Welfare: The SPS is committed to promoting and improving the Health, Welfare and Wellbeing of SPS employees, thus maximising the effectiveness, efficiency and competence of our workforce, which is our most important resource. This section provides details of a number of SPS occupational policies and procedures including:

• Alcohol and Substance;
• Managing attendance and absence;
• Management of Stress; and
• Occupational Health Wellbeing and Competency Policy:

Equality and Diversity: The SPS is wholly committed to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace and ensuring that all staff are provided with equality of opportunity regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. This section provides details of a number of policies in place to assist our staff in the delivery of our Vision and Mission, including:

• Age Equality;
• Disability Equality;:
• Embracing Diversity;
• Equal Opportunities and Diversity; and
• Transsexual Staff Equality Policy.

 

Information on Prisoner Management and Services

This section provides information on the day to day management of prisons including case management of prisoners, and services for prisoners and their families, prisoner welfare and rehabilitation, prisoner's rights, visiting arrangements for prisoner's families e.g. details of the Healthcare and key policy/standards in SPS for prisoners including issues such as race relations, health needs, anti-suicide measures, Induction of Prisoners, Integrated Case Management System for long-term prisoners, and the Prisoner Complaints Procedure. In addition, it also includes information on the Victim Notification Scheme; different types of prisoners and early release schemes; information on how a prisoner can be repatriated to or from a prison in Scotland or transferred to another part of the UK to maintain family contact; and details of the SPS Administration Scheme for dealing with applications for compensation from prisoners who have been held in doubled up conditions and slopped out for more than 7 days.

• Health care policy/standards: This section provides details of the SPS healthcare standards. These standards are to ensure the consistent delivery of care in accordance with best practice across the estate. They will be subject to review and will change in response to best practise.
• Induction: This section provides details of the induction of prisoners when they first come into prison and what to expect in the first 24 hours in custody.
• Prisoner Complaints Procedure: This section provides information for prisoners on how to make a complaint once in custody of the Scottish Prison Service.
• Definitions of Different Types of Prisoners and Early Release Schemes: This section details the different types of prisoners detained in Scotland together with details of the early release arrangements applicable for each category of prisoner.
• Integrated Case Management: This section provides information on the Integrated Case Management of long-term prisoners, sex offenders and short-term prisoners whose disposal at court included a supervision element on release and prisoners subject to supervision on release who have been recalled to prison.
• Multi Agency Public Protection (MAPPA): this section provides details of the arrangements established by the police, local authorities and prison service to assess and manage the risk posed by sexual and violent offenders.
• Home Detention Curfew (HDC): this section provides details of the SPS HDC scheme, including the type of prisoner covered by the scheme and the eligibility criteria for the scheme. The primary aim of HDC is to ease reintegration of prisoners assessed as presenting a low risk of reoffending back into the community whilst they are electronically tagged and monitored in the community.
• Prisoner Population: This section provides statistics on prisoner population by type of prisoner i.e. male/female, remand/convicted, over 21/under 21/under 16 etc.
• Victim Notification Scheme: this section provides details of the Victim Notification Scheme gives information to victims of very serious crimes about their right to receive information about the offender's progression within prison and eventual release.
• Repatriation of Prisoners: this section provides information to prisoners and their families about how to apply for repatriation to Scotland or to a country in which the UK has a repatriation agreement with. It also includes details on how to make aopplication and the criteria for repatriation.
• Inter-Jurisdictional Transfer of Prisoners: this section provides information to prisoners and their families about how to apply for an inter-jurisdictional transfer between Scotland, England and Wales and Northern Ireland, to serve the remainder of their sentence. It also includes details on how to make aopplication and the criteria for transfer.
• Documents setting out key SPS policies and procedures on issues such as race relations, health needs, anti-suicide measures and environmental issues.
• Leaflets and other documents produced by SPS providing advice and information on services for prisoners or their families (some of these documents are available only in hard copy).