High Court to return to Inverness next month - but new Highland prison won't be built until 2026
Justice Secretary Keith Brown also outlined improvements are ongoing at the current Porterfield prison, but says the long-term solution is a new build.
Last updated 6th Aug 2021
Scotland's Justice Secretary says High Court cases returning to Inverness will help reduce a backlog, but a new Highland prison has been delayed until 2026.
From next month, High Court cases will be held in the Highland capital for the first time since 2013, following a shake-up in the court system.
However, Keith Brown has also confirmed HMP Highland won't be built for another five years.
Mr Brown also outlined improvements are ongoing at the current Porterfield prison, but says the only long-term solution is a new build.
He said: "We are investing in both Inverness and the Highlands, but in terms of the prison we realise that has to be replaced and we commit to doing that.
"We hope to do that by 2026.
"Infrastructure projects can increase in cost over time, so we’ll have to wait and see, but of course we want to try and protect the public pound and reduce that cost as much as possible.
"We have carried out works consistently at the existing prison at Porterfield, there’s a lot of work going on there to try and both upgrade it and make it more amenable, but we realise that’s not a long term solution.
"That’s why this Scottish Government, and the first Government to do so, is recognising that we will replace that.
"We have done a huge amount of investment into prisons, but you can’t do it all at once.
"We’re not just leaving that and saying wait until the new prison is here, we have been investing in the prison over this time, as we have done with many others.
"It is simply not possible, and I think most people realise this, to invest and change all at once.
"For example, in the Highlands think of all the amount of new schools that we’ve had over the last ten years."
£50m invested to tackle court cases backlog
Mr Brown also outlined the investment and measures being taken to reduce the backlog in Scotland's court cases, which includes High Court cases being heard at the Inverness Justice Centre.
He added: "We’ve put £50 million into making sure we can try and deal with this.
"Juries that can’t be located for social distancing reasons inside the court room, they are now being accommodated elsewhere.
"Plus an additional number of other measures, such as increasing the number of High Courts, of course the High Court comes back to Inverness for the first time in years next month, and also increasing the amount of sheriff courts as well.
"All of that will help with the throughput of cases and should help us reduce the backlog."
The Justice Secretary was speaking as he visited the £23m Inverness Justice Centre which opened last year.
It's the first of it's kind in Scotland, as it brings various services associated with the court system all under one roof.
He said: "It’s a fantastic building, beautifully fitted out and I think it affords the kind of respect to the justice process which you’d want to see.
"As a location for all the different agencies such, whether it’s victim support, citizens advice, the justice professionals, the accused, I think it’s a fantastic facility and there’s not another one like it in Scotland, Inverness is certainly leading the way in this regard"