 Reliance says its performance in Scotland is improving |
Private security firm Reliance claims its performance is improving despite another prisoner escape last week. The company said it has overcome the "teething problems" which marred the start of its prisoner escort contract in west central Scotland this year.
It said on Thursday that it was now in a position to provide its contracted services effectively.
A prisoner slipped away from Reliance guards outside Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Friday.
The escapee, who was a prisoner at Perth Prison, was returned to custody after being arrested by police on Monday.
In September, Audit Scotland said that Reliance had improved its performance despite a number of prisoners being released in error.
Its report found that private guards were at fault for 12 out of 23 prisoners who were wrongly released.
Similar contract
Police, court staff and the prison service were responsible for the other 11.
Auditor General Robert Black found that 98% of prisoners were reaching court on time.
The firm's �126m contract was only extended across Scotland after its problems regarding mistaken releases were solved.
The company has also begun a similar contract worth �250m in south Wales, the Midlands and the west of England.
It said it is improving on a business level with its pre-tax profits during the six months to 29 October up by 13% to �6.8m.
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