The Release of Prisoners (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

JurisdictionScotland

2020 No. 138

Prisons

The Release of Prisoners (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

Made 4th May 2020

Laid before the Scottish Parliament 4th May 2020

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(1)

The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 19(1) of schedule 4 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 20201(“the Act”) and all other powers enabling them to do so.

The Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the making of these Regulations is necessary and proportionate, in response to the effects coronavirus is having, and is likely to have, on prisons generally, for the purpose of protecting: (a) the security and good order of prisons; and (b) the health, safety and welfare of prisoners and those working in prisons.

In accordance with paragraph 20(2) and (3) of schedule 4 of the Act, the Scottish Ministers are of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without them being subject to the affirmative procedure.

S-1 Citation, commencement, application and interpretation

Citation, commencement, application and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Release of Prisoners (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and come into force immediately after they are made.

(2) These Regulations apply to all prisons in Scotland.

(3) In these Regulations, any reference to a person being released under section 1(1) of the 1993 Act2includes a person who is released under that section as applied by section 6(1)(a) of that Act3.

(4) In these Regulations—

“the governor’s veto” means the power of the governor of a prison, under paragraph 19(3)(b) of schedule 4 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020, to prevent the early release of a person from that prison under these Regulations,

“health care professional” has the same meaning as it is given in section 17CA of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 19784.

S-2 Specified class of persons to be released from prison early

Specified class of persons to be released from prison early

2.—(1) Subject to the governor’s veto, a person who falls within the class of persons specified in paragraph (2) is to be released early from prison in accordance with regulation 3.

(2) The class of persons to be released early from prison is any person who—

(a)

(a) falls within paragraph (3), and

(b)

(b) does not fall within paragraph (4).

(3) A person falls within this paragraph if the person—

(a)

(a) is serving a sentence of imprisonment or detention for a period of 18 months or less, and

(b)

(b) is to be released under section 1(1) or 7(1)(a) of the 1993 Act5within the 90 days following the date on which these Regulations come into force.

(4) A person falls within this paragraph if the person—

(a)

(a) is serving, or has served, a sentence of imprisonment or detention for an offence that is aggravated as described in section 1(1)(a) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 20166and has been recorded as such under section 1(5) of that Act,

(b)

(b) is serving, or has served, a sentence of imprisonment or detention for an offence under section 1(1) of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 20187,

(c)

(c) is serving a sentence of imprisonment or detention for an offence under regulation 8 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 20208, or

(d)

(d) is the subject of a non-harassment order imposed under section 234A of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 19959or section 8 or 8A of the Protection from Harassment Act 199710.

S-3 Timing of release

Timing of release

3.—(1) A person who is to be released early from prison in accordance with regulation 2 must be released in accordance with this regulation.

(2) Subject to paragraph (5), where a person is to be released under section 1(1) or 7(1)(a) of the 1993 Act within the 30 days following the date on which these Regulations come into force, that person is to be released from prison in accordance with these Regulations no later than 18 May 2020.

(3) Subject to paragraph (5), where a person is to be released under section 1(1) or 7(1)(a) of the 1993 Act within the 60 days following the date on which these Regulations come into force, and paragraph (2) does not apply to that person, that person is to be released from prison under these Regulations—

(a)

(a) no earlier than 19 May 2020, and

(b)

(b) no later than 25 May 2020.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), where a person is to be released under section 1(1) or 7(1)(a) of the 1993 Act within the 90 days following the date on which these Regulations come into force, and paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply to that person, that person is to be released from prison under these Regulations—

(a)

(a) no earlier than 26 May 2020, and

(b)

(b) no later than 1 June 2020.

(5) Paragraph (6) applies where, on or before the day on which a person is to be released under these Regulations, a health care professional has informed the governor of the prison within which the person is detained for the time being that, in the health care professional’s opinion, the person has or is likely to have coronavirus.

(6) Where this paragraph applies, the person must not be released from prison in accordance with paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) and must be released instead on...

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