The future of the young offenders wing of a £140 million “super jail” is still hanging in the balance – four years after rioters shut it down.
HMP Grampian in Peterhead opened in 2014 and was hailed as the first of its kind, bringing male, female and young offenders together under one roof – while keeping them close to their families.
But just a month later, a riot broke out on the Ellon wing, causing £15,000.
As a result all young people were transferred to YOI Polmont, where they still remain.
And last night, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed – not for the first time – that there are still no plans to bring them back to the north-east.
Shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said there were “serious questions” to be asked about the future of the wing, four years on.
The North East Conservative MSP said: “Are we now to believe that a section of this multi-million-pound facility is no longer needed? Will the Ellon wing now be brought back into use, or will it continue to lie empty?
“There are some serious questions here for both the Scottish Prison Service and the SNP Government.
“When HMP Grampian opened four years ago, it was hailed as the first that would house young offenders as well as adult male and female inmates.
“Indeed, one of the selling points was that it would offer a site in the north of Scotland so that younger inmates from this area could be closer to the families.”
A Scottish Prison Service (SPS) spokeswoman said: “No date has yet been set for the return of male young offenders to the establishment.
“SPS wants to make sure that the regime and curriculum available for delivery at HMP and YOI Grampian is appropriate and aligned with our strategy for managing young people in custody prior to any return taking place.”
But Labour’s Lewis Macdonald, who has repeatedly called for the youth wing to be reinstated, said there was no evidence that the facilities at Polmont were better than HMP Grampian.
He said: “It is disappointing they are still not taking steps to bring young offenders back to Grampian.
“They are not being held locally and there is no evidence that the education opportunities at Polmont are being delivered at a significantly greater scale than could be done at Grampian.
“The SPS made a commitment to help young offenders in Grampian and they need to meet that commitment.”
Mr Macdonald added relatives of youths currently locked up had been in touch to complain about the distances they are forced to travel for visits to Polmont.
He said: “Families of young offenders have contacted me to say that visiting Polmont is difficult for them as it is difficult to get to by public transport and is a long way.
“At least at Grampian there is a bus service from Aberdeen but that is not available at Polmont.
“If families are part of the key to rehabilitation of young offenders then young offenders in Grampian are being let down by the Scottish Prison Service.”