The report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland marks the first inspection of a Scottish prison since being transferred from private operator Serco to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).

HMP Kilmarnock, which opened in 1999 as Scotland’s first privately run prison, has 501 cells and a target operating capacity of 500 prisoners. Shortly after the SPS assumed control in 2024, the prison was required to accommodate an additional 157 inmates.

As a result, 223 cells originally designed for single occupancy were converted into shared accommodation. Inspectors found these small double cells fell slightly below internationally recognised minimum space standards.

The report said the impact on prisoners was significant, with people spending extended periods in confined spaces with limited privacy and dignity, particularly around toilet use and access to in-cell telephones.

Inspectors also found that, on the day of inspection, 38 cells housed both convicted and remand prisoners, contrary to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Prisoners. Efforts were made to separate prisoners quickly, although this did not always happen immediately.

Across all nine inspection areas, the prison received a rating of generally acceptable, indicating improvements are required but placing it behind only good and satisfactory.

However, inspectors highlighted a series of additional concerns.

With 446 prisoners sharing single-occupancy cells, the prison was not meeting the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture’s proposed minimum standard of four square metres per prisoner, excluding toilet facilities.

No induction information was available for prisoners who did not speak English, with staff instead relying on English-speaking prisoners to communicate information. Prisoners said they felt comfortable within the prison but would have welcomed interpretation support during admission and when using kiosks to order items.

Accessibility concerns were also raised. Only two cells were suitable for wheelchair users and prisoners reported disabled inmates faced greater difficulty accessing employment and education opportunities. A shortage of wheelchairs was said to cause delays attending visits, while access to outdoor exercise was more difficult in some residential areas.

Inspectors described cells as being in poor cosmetic condition and noted unclean dining areas, stained stairways, dusty surfaces and food debris. Although 88 per cent of prisoners surveyed said they could shower daily, standards of cleanliness varied and inmates had unsupervised access to supplies including razor blades.

Food provision attracted significant criticism, with 79 per cent of respondents rating meals as either “bad” or “very bad”. Prisoners familiar with the prison before the SPS takeover told inspectors food quality had declined.

Positive examples described in the report included Halal meal provision and heated lunchboxes for prisoners observing Ramadan, but inspectors noted there were no themed cultural meals or events beyond Christmas.