Ministerial Accountability Board: progress report - December 2025

5. Theme: Cell and Personal Safety

Recommendation 1 (Katie & William FAI): Remove double bunk beds from all cells where young prisoners are accommodated.

RAG Ratings:

June - Blue

September - Blue

December - Blue

Progress:

• Complete:
  • All bunk beds removed from all cells in HMP & YOI Polmont where a young person might be accommodated.
  • There are no bunk beds in place in HMP & YOI Stirling.

Recommendation 2 (Katie & William FAI): Remove and replace door stops with anti-ligature designs.

RAG Ratings:

June - Blue

September - Blue

December - Blue

Progress:

• Complete:
  • All door stops of the type identified, and those of a similar design, have been removed from cells in Polmont where a young person in housed.
  • Door stops which remain are either sloping or positioned in a way which cannot be used as a ligature point.
  • Wider work ongoing to assess the physical environment of all prisons across the SPS estate.

Recommendation 3 (Katie & William FAI) & Recommendation 1 (Jack McKenzie FAI): Develop a standardised anti-ligature toolkit for auditing cells for the presence of anchor points; complete audits across all standard cells; and take necessary actions to address identified issues.

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Green

September - Amber-Green

December - Amber-Green

Progress:

• Complete:
  • SPS has developed a proof of concept risk assessment toolkit to audit cells for the presence of ligature anchor points.
  • Pilot of toolkit conducted in HMP & YOI Polmont in September 2025.
• Ongoing:
  • The Pilot findings and commissioned external research will help inform next steps.
  • Engagement with key stakeholders to inform the work, including NHS and ligature experts.
  • HMPs Stirling, Glasgow and Highland, as well as the Community Custody Units, were designed at the time, with the best available advice on mitigations for ligature points.

Recommendation 4 (Katie & William FAI): Pilot and review 'signs of life' technology.

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Green

September - Amber-Green

December - Amber-Green

Progress:

• Complete:
  • Engagement with possible suppliers of ‘signs of life’ technology and market research carried out.
• Ongoing:
  • Pilots of technology from three suppliers across HMP & YOIs Polmont and Stirling from August 2025. The initial phase of the Pilot involves testing device accuracy and responsiveness, as well as staff training. This will be followed by a six-month live operational trial on a voluntary basis.
  • Learning from the Pilot will inform next steps.

Recommendation 5 (Katie & William FAI): Review and revise 'items in use' policy.

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Red

September - Amber-Green

December - Amber-Red

Progress:

• Complete:
  • SPS has set up a working group to review the ‘items in use’ policy.
  • Engagement with stakeholders across other custodial and state-care environments to review ‘items in use’ lists.
• Ongoing:
  • SPS considering commissioning research to better understand potential wider impacts of removing personal items from young people.
  • Learnings from this research, as well as wider reforms including the overhaul of ‘Talk to Me’, will inform a trauma-informed approach to implementation which balances safety with wellbeing.
  • Ongoing work to explore suitable alternatives to specific items; belts and dressing gowns have been removed.

Recommendation 6 (Katie & William FAI): Research alternative bedding materials and review use in standard cells.

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Green

September - Green

December - Green

Progress:

• Complete:
  • SPS has commissioned and completed a research project into bedding options.
  • Engagement with stakeholders from other jurisdictions and state hospitals.
  • Paper provided to Cabinet Secretary outlining findings.
• Ongoing:
  • SPS intend to publish the research findings by the end of the year.
  • Ongoing consideration of alternative options which balance safety with trauma-informed care.

Recommendation 2 (Jack Mckenzie FAI): Remove and replace/modify toilet cubicle doors with anti-ligature designs.

RAG Ratings:

June - Not applicable

September - Amber-Green

December - Amber-Red

Progress:

• Complete:
  • Ablution doors removed from all 12 transition cells which are used by young people in HMP & YOI Polmont (those used in the first 72 hours from admission).
  • Procurement exercise competed to source anti-ligature replacement ablution doors for these cells.
• Ongoing:
  • These replacement doors will be installed by the end of the year.

Recommendation 6 (Jack McKenzie FAI): Conduct visual hatch checks near end of night shifts.

RAG Ratings:

June - Not applicable

September - Green

December - Green

Progress:

• Complete:
  • SPS has established a working group to explore this area.
• Ongoing:
  • Work underway to consider operational feasibility, legal implications and best practice from other jurisdictions.
  • Development of Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment.
  • This work will inform next steps, and the findings will be reported to Ministers by the end of the year.