Proposed plans for a new all-female prison in Inverclyde will no longer go ahead, it has been confirmed.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson announced on Monday morning (26 January), that the controversial facility would not be progressing.

The proposed £75m prison would have replaced the women-only prison, Cornton Vale in Stirling.

Commenting on the prison during a visit to the '218 centre' in Glasgow, he said the current plans do not fit with his vision of how to address female offending. He added that a more "radical and ambitious approach" needs to be taken.

An extensive consultation period will now take place between the Scottish Government, Scottish Prison Service and key partners, with the view of investing in smaller regional and community-based custodial facilities.

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He added that the new plans must include options for smaller regional facilities for female offenders across Scotland, as well as consider whether there is a possibility for a smaller facility to be created within the prison estate for a low number of serious female offenders who pose a risk to the community.

Mr Matheson is quoted as saying: "Since taking up post as Justice Secretary, I have been looking closely at proposals for a new prison for female offenders at Inverclyde. I've also listened carefully to the views expressed by a number of key interest groups.

"I've decided that the current plans for a prison for women in Inverclyde should not go ahead. It does not fit with my vision of how a modern and progressive country should be addressing female offending. We need to be bolder and take a more radical and ambitious approach in Scotland.

"When it comes to the justice system, we must be smarter with the choices we make and be more sophisticated in the way in which we deal with female offenders."

(JP/MH)