Justice Minister shuns Bishopbriggs residents

1.09.37pm GMT Thu 5th Mar 2009

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill MSP has declined an invitation from Jo Swinson to meet with a group of Bishopbriggs residents to hear their concerns over the name of the new prison.

Instead of responding to Jo's invitation, Mr. MacAskill passed it on to the Scottish Prison Service.

Commenting, Jo said:

"Bishopbriggs residents will be disappointed that Mr. MacAskill has not even shown the courtesy of replying to an invitation to meet with them. All of my letters to Mr. MacAskill have simply been passed on to the Scottish Prison Service, which raises the question of why he has been so evasive when it would not cost him anything to intervene. The SPS have given me an assurance that they will engage with local views on this, and I will be writing to them to arrange a meeting with local residents as soon as possible. However, the Justice Minister needs to realise that this is a political issue and not merely an operational one, and stop seeking to duck responsibility on the matter."