Ministerial Accountability Board: progress report - September 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

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

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

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • SPS has developed a proof of concept risk assessment toolkit to audit cells for the presence of ligature anchor points.
  • Pilot of toolkit in Polmont in September 2025.
  • 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 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

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • Engagement with possible suppliers of ‘signs of life’ technology and market research carried out.
  • Three potential suppliers identified.
  • Pilots of technology from three suppliers across Polmont and Stirling in August and September 2025.
  • Learning from the pilots will inform next steps.

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

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Red - September - Amber-Green

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • SPS has set up a working group to review the ‘items in use’ policy.
  • Internal research commissioned on ‘items in use’ to consider potential wider impacts of removing personal items from young people.
  • Engagement with stakeholders across other custodial and state-care environments to consider their ‘items in use’ lists.
  • Learnings from this research will inform next steps and ensure any action taken is in line with wider work to promote psychological and emotional wellbeing.

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

RAG Ratings:

June - Amber-Green - September - Green

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • SPS has completed research into bedding options.
  • Research findings will be used to inform options paper on future bedding materials.
  • Work continues to ensure that any future options align with and are assessed under the ligature toolkit being developed.

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

RAG Ratings:

June - Not applicable - September - Amber-Green

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • Work is ongoing to have replacement doors for the cell spaces used for 72 observations.
  • Work is ongoing to consider other options in keeping with the wider work on reducing ligature points more generally.

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

RAG Ratings:

June - Not applicable - September - Green

Progress:

• Ongoing:
  • Work underway to set up a Working Group involving stakeholders.
  • Engagements with other jurisdictions to gather further information.
  • Review legal guidance and consider Equality and Human Rights issues.
  • Evaluate information gathered and develop an options appraisal.