THE Government has no plans to privatise the prison service in

Scotland, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton said yesterday.

He disclosed in a Commons written reply that the Scottish Prison

Service, which became an executive agency last month, was market-testing

maintenance and minor works projects at Barlinnie, Shotts, Saughton, and

Perth prisons, and storage and distribution services.

He added: ''Market-testing might lead to contracting out, but there

are no plans to privatise any part of the Scottish Prison Service.''