3. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the transition of HMP Kilmarnock into public ownership. (S6O-02674)

When I visited HMP Kilmarnock in August, I saw at first hand that work on its transition into public ownership and operation is progressing well and that the prison is on track for handover to the Scottish Prison Service on 17 March next year. The Scottish Prison Service has been working closely with Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd and Serco, which is the private operator, to deliver a smooth transition that not only supports staff and those who are in custody but maintains the high standards that are already set in the prison.

When I visited the prison last week, I asked the staff whether they backed the transfer. None did. I asked whether they knew why it was happening. None of them did. I asked whether they knew how it would happen. None of them did.

Humza Yousaf is transferring HMP Kilmarnock for blindly ideological reasons. He does not care that it is an effective, efficient and well-run prison. The Scottish National Party’s transfer will even result in staff losing the protection of body-worn cameras, which will be sent to English prisons. Will the Cabinet secretary reverse that dangerous decision and commit to providing cameras to all prison officers across Scotland?

The contract with Serco was due to end. The Government has always believed that our prisons should be owned and operated in the public sector, in the interests of public safety and not those of private profit.

When we look at the facts and information, we see a lower level of assaults in the Scottish Prison Service than in our private prisons and a lower level per population of drug-taking incidents in the public sector. I would have thought that Mr Findlay would take such matters seriously.

I reassure the member that the Scottish Prison Service is finalising its arrangements for a pilot on body-worn cameras to be carried out in collaboration with our trade union partners, and that the cameras that are currently in HMP Kilmarnock belong to Serco and not to the Scottish Prison Service. I further assure him that efforts are being made, and will be made, to progress work on the important matter of body-worn cameras.

Mr Findlay’s comments are completely at odds with what I have heard from the project director and the staff at Kilmarnock prison over many years. Will the Cabinet secretary confirm that arrangements for transfers under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 for all the staff and prison officers are well under way and that the overall impact of their transferring to the SPS will be beneficial?

The transfer will take place following the well-established process under the TUPE regulations that have existed since 2006. The Scottish Prison Service has written to Serco to inform staff groups about the measures that will be taken. Plans have been developed in partnership with recognised trade unions, and the Scottish Prison Service is actively planning one-to-one meetings. It is also important to recognise that the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service has chaired four engagement sessions to date.

The Presiding Officer:

We move to question 4. Let us keep our questions and responses concise, please.