Scottish justice minister Cathy Jamieson has sidestepped resignation calls following her response to the release of several high security prisoners.

Flanked by first minister Jack McConnell, Jamieson said ministers were taking the issue seriously – having established a working group to identify the reasons for the wrongful release of three prisoners.

The release of convicted killer James McCormick had been "inexcusable" and "well beyond teething problems", MSPs heard.

Jamieson admitted that the prison service and security firm Reliance had "seriously underestimated" the complexities of introducing the prisoner escort service.

Whilst she accepted that there had been systematic failures, she refused calls to scrap the scheme.

"We now have to solve those problems, we do need to move on," she told MSPs.

"The policy is the right one – but the delivery will have to improve or there will be consequences."

Jamieson said she had ordered a period of "shadowing" - with police officers checking the work of Reliance - would continue until problems have been rectified.

And she left open the possibility of cancelling the contract unless there was a significant improvement.

Contract

The justice minister came under heavy fire after MSPs demanded she publish the contract agreement between the government and the firm.

The SNP said the company had clearly failed to meets its obligations and demanded to know whether the minister had personally agreed to the terms of the deal between Reliance and the prison service.

"Is she really suggesting she did not approve the terms of the contract with Reliance?" asked Fergus Ewing.

The minister said that the contract "will be published in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act".

She added that there would be further roll out of the prisoner transport scheme until there was "a categoric assurance that Reliance is fit and able to deliver".

Meanwhile independent MSP Denis Canavan called for the full disclosure of the contract.

He called for "proper public scrutiny" of the contractual obligations of the firm.

"How many prisoners have to escape before the contract is cancelled?" he asked.