An MP claims a new court house with remand facilities is the answer

Scotland's chief inspector of prisons said the number of inmates at the jail was running at 40% above capacity on a regular basis.

Dr Andrew McLellan said relations between officers and inmates were "very good".

But he warned: "Despite the determination evident in Inverness to make the best of circumstances, the problems created by overcrowding are very great.

"They have significant effects on the opportunities available to prisoners and on the conditions in which prisoners live and prison staff work."

Positive regime

Government inspectors had highlighted overcrowding, staffing levels and drugs misuse as areas of concern during the last inspection of the prison.

Dr McLellan said: "Fears expressed in the last report that what was previously a most positive regime could start to falter have not materialised and the efforts of staff and management should be recognised."

He said he was encouraged by many of the moves made to act on the failings identified in last year's report.

He highlighted better work with short-term prisoners, education and the drawing up of a drug strategy.

Healthcare gap

Dr McLellan also praised the standard of accommodation and food at the jail, although there was still room for improvement.

"The visits room and reception area are poor and nothing appears to have been done to fill the gap in healthcare left by the closure of the day care centre," he said.

Inverness Labour MP David Stewart has called for radical action in response to the latest report.