Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989

8 Visiting committees

(1) Rules made under section 39 of this Act shall provide for the constitution, for prisons, of visiting committees appointed, at such times, in such manner, for such periods and by such regional, island and district councils as may be prescribed by the rules.

(2) Rules made under section 39 of this Act shall prescribe the functions of visiting committees, and shall among other things require the members to pay frequent visits to the prison and hear any complaints which may be made by the prisoners and report to the Secretary of State any matter which they consider it expedient to report; and any member of a visiting committee may at any time enter the prison and shall have free access to every part thereof and to every prisoner.

(3) The Secretary of State may pay—

(a) to the members of any visiting committee appointed under or in pursuance of this section such allowances in respect of loss of earnings or travelling or subsistence or other expenses necessarily suffered or incurred in the performance of their duties, and

(b) to the officers of any such committee such remuneration (whether by way of salary or fees) and such allowances in respect of travelling or subsistence expenses,

as the Secretary of State may with the consent of the Treasury determine.