The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011

Visits by media representatives S

73.—(1) This rule applies to a person who visits, or seeks to visit, a prisoner—

(a) as a media representative in a professional or vocational capacity; or

(b) in circumstances where the person's visit is wholly or partially connected with the purposes of journalism, broadcasting or publishing.

(2) A Governor may permit visits to prisoners by persons to whom this rule applies only in exceptional circumstances and where satisfied that it is appropriate to permit such a visit.

(3) If the Governor intends to permit a visit to a prisoner for the purposes mentioned in paragraph (1) the Governor must require the visitor, before being admitted to the prison, to give a written undertaking to the effect that the visitor shall not—

(a) begin any interview, take any photographs or conduct any filming or sound recording, except with the express prior consent of both the prisoner and the Governor;

(b) conduct any such interview, take photographs or conduct filming or recording except in accordance with such other conditions as the Governor may specify;

(c) make any payment or gratuity to the prisoner or any other person in relation to the holding of the interview or any material obtained at it;

(d) use any material obtained at the interview, or any photographs, films or recordings so taken, for professional or vocational purposes and in particular for broadcast or use on, or transmission by, any form of electronic medium by the person or anyone else except in accordance with the prior written consent of the Governor and subject to and in accordance with such conditions as the Governor may impose; or

(e) use any material obtained at the interview, or any photographs, films or recordings so taken, for professional or vocational purposes and in particular for publication or use in any form of written medium by the person or anyone else except in accordance with the prior written consent of the Governor and subject to and in accordance with such conditions as the Governor may impose.

(4) A visit to a prisoner in terms of this rule may only take place in such area of the prison as the Governor may specify and must take place—

(a) within the sight of an officer; and

(b) within the hearing of an officer.