SCHEDULE 8, Paragraph 27: Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989
Purpose and Effect
Paragraph 27 amends the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 to remove or amend specific provisions for appointment of staff in relation to prisons. These powers of appointment are no longer required as a consequence of the provision in section 51 for the Scottish Ministers to appoint persons to be members of the staff of the Scottish Administration.
Details of Provisions
Paragraph 27(1) provides that the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 is to be amended.
Paragraph 27(2) repeals section 2 of the 1989 Act, which provides for the employment and payment of such inspectors and other officers and servants as the Secretary of State with the sanction of the Treasury as to number, may appoint.
Paragraph 27(3) removes provision in section 3(1) of the 1989 Act for the Secretary of State to appoint the governors and other officers of prisons. This is replaced by a requirement for every prison to have a governor and such other officers as may be necessary.
Section 3A of the 1989 Act requires the Secretary of State to secure the provision of appropriate medical services within prisons, and provides that he may perform this duty by appointing for a prison one or more medical officers. Paragraph 27(4) replaces the power in section 3A(2) for the Secretary of State to appoint medical officers with a power to provide medical officers. A consequential amendment is also made to section 3A(4).