Scotland Awards £415 Million Justice Escort and Court Custody Contract to Mitie

Edinburgh, Scotland

Scotland has awarded a major public safety services contract worth £415.35 million for the delivery of nationwide prisoner escort and court custody services, marking one of the largest justice-sector service procurements in recent years. The contract, titled SPS-02206 Justice Partners Escort and Court Custody (Scotland) (JPECCS), has been awarded by the Scottish Prison Service to Mitie Care & Custody Ltd.

The contract award notice was published on January 27, 2026, following contract conclusion on January 23, 2026, under Reference No. JAN548141.

Contract Overview and Scope

The JPECCS contract represents the fourth generation of Scotland’s integrated justice escort and custody services framework. The Scottish Prison Service acts as the lead contracting authority, managing the agreement on behalf of the Scottish Government and key criminal justice partners.

• Contract Title - SPS-02206 Justice Partners Escort and Court Custody (Scotland)

• Contract Type - Services

• Procurement Procedure - Competitive procedure with negotiation

• Total Contract Value (excl. VAT) - £415,353,498

• Contract Date - January 23, 2026

• Geographic Coverage - All of Scotland

The contract covers all prisoner escort movements and court custody operations across Scotland, making it a mission-critical public service supporting the justice system.

Services Covered Under the Contract

Under the JPECCS agreement, the successful contractor will deliver a comprehensive range of secure and community-based custody and transport services, including:

• Prisoner escorts to and from courts

• Movements between police custody units and prisons

• Hospital appointments and hospital watch escorts

• Inter-prison transfers

• Community work placements

• Transportation for approved home leave

• Secure cross-border movements between Scotland and other parts of the UK

• Full operation of court custody facilities

In 2023/24 alone, the service facilitated approximately 37,000 secure and community movements, transporting over 125,000 individuals, highlighting the scale and operational complexity of the contract.

Contracting Authorities and Partners

The procurement was conducted as a joint procurement, involving multiple justice-sector bodies:

• Scottish Prison Service (Lead Authority)

• Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service

• Police Scotland

• Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

• Scottish Government

This collaborative structure ensures consistent service delivery across the entire criminal justice system.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

The procurement attracted three tenders and was evaluated using a 50:50 quality - price weighting, with quality criteria including:

• Prisoner care and welfare

• Security and good order

• Leadership, culture, and people management

• Logistics and planning

• Systems, data integrity, and reporting

• Service delivery and continuous improvement

• Mobilisation readiness and social value

The emphasis on welfare, compliance, and data-driven performance reflects heightened scrutiny and accountability expectations in custodial services.

Awarded Contractor Profile

The contract has been awarded to Mitie Care & Custody Ltd, a UK-based specialist provider of justice and detention services and part of the wider Mitie Group. The company will operate from its UK headquarters in London and is not classified as an SME.

Mitie will be responsible for deploying secure transport fleets, trained custody officers, court custody staff, and robust data collection and performance reporting systems to meet contractual and statutory requirements.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

The contract requires strict adherence to an extensive legislative framework, including:

• Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

• Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016

• Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989

• Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012

• Human Rights Act 1998

• GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018

• Equality Act 2010

• United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT)

Compliance with these statutes will be actively evaluated throughout contract delivery.

Strategic Significance

The £415 million JPECCS contract is central to the operational integrity of Scotland’s justice system. By consolidating escort and custody services under a single, long-term provider, the Scottish Government aims to:

• Improve safety and welfare standards

• Ensure continuity and resilience of justice operations

• Strengthen performance monitoring and transparency

• Deliver value for money over the contract lifecycle

The award also reflects continued reliance on large-scale service contracts to deliver complex public safety functions.

Outlook

With the contract now in force, Mitie Care & Custody Ltd will begin full mobilisation across Scotland’s courts, prisons, hospitals, and police custody locations. Ongoing performance monitoring and compliance audits are expected throughout the contract term.

The JPECCS award sets a benchmark for future justice, custodial, and public safety procurement across the UK, particularly as governments seek scalable, accountable service delivery models.

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