Police Scotland has been urged to provide MSPs with a human rights assessment of current custody arrangements.

Green MSP John Finnie made the call following concerns raised by the Scottish Police Federation over custody care.

In a submission to Holyrood’s Justice Sub-Committee on Policing, SPF general secretary Calum Steele said that a cut in the number of custody centres had led to prisoners being “routinely conveyed over vast distances to be accommodated in cells”.

Mr Finnie said: “I think it is entirely reasonable to ask Police Scotland to provide us with a human rights assessment of the present situation.”