Inspectors visiting HMP Barlinnie this month found prisoners had gone four days without running water after a leak was discovered on 8 October, with supply only gradually restored and still being isolated at times for repairs. HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland confirmed the Scottish Prison Service had provided bottled water and alternative food and laundry arrangements while the fault was fixed, but Chief Inspector Sara Snell said the outage “reinforced long-standing concerns” about the prison’s ageing infrastructure.
Barlinnie, Scotland’s largest prison, was found to be 39% over capacity, holding 1,415 men against a design capacity of 1,021, with more than a quarter on remand – making it the most overcrowded prison in the country. Water pressure remains uneven across the halls, with some areas receiving supply before others.
The inspectorate’s report calls on the Scottish Government to make sure nothing stands in the way of closing Barlinnie and moving prisoners to the new HMP Glasgow, which is not expected to open for at least two years. Until then, inspectors say contingency arrangements must stay in place and the prison’s population needs to come down.