SNP spends more money on meals for Scottish prisoners than for hospital patients in NHS care
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Prisoners serving time in Scottish prisons are better fed than patients under NHS care, according to fresh figures revealed in a Scottish Conservative freedom of information request.
Meal costs released by the Scottish Prison Service detail the Scottish Government is spending more on meals for inmates at four prisons across Scotland than patients in their local NHS health boards.
Two prisons in the Greater Glasgow area spend more on prisoner dining than the £4.32 NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde spends on its patients: the Lilias Centre in Glasgow distributes a menu adding up to £5.30 per prisoner and the Bella Centre serves dishes totalling £5.32.
Elsewhere, HMP Kilmarnock meals cost £4.71 while NHS Ayrshire & Arran meals cost only £3.69 and HMP Inverness plates up £4.05 across prisoner meal times when NHS Highland patients have to make do with just food amounting to £3.01.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde spends £4.32 on its patients (stock pic)
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The Scottish Tory FOI request also revealed the average cost of feeding prisoners in Scotland is nearly 60 per cent higher than the average cost in England and Wales.
In 2023/24, the average cost daily meals for Scottish prisoners was £4.27, while breakfast, lunch and dinner for inmates in England and Wales cost just £2.70 in the same period.
When comparing the cost of hospital meals, NHS Scotland spends an average of £6.23 on daily meals for patients, while NHS England patient meals average out at £5.41, though the averages for hospital trusts across Britain vary widely.
Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachel Hamilton said it was “outrageous” that patients stuck in hospital could be subjected to a low cost menu while diners behind bars “seem to get better treatment”.
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HMP Kilmarnock meals cost £4.71 for each prisoner
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She said: “Scots will be wondering why more money is being spent per prisoner here compared to what is being spent in England and Wales.
“Complaints about the food served up in Scotland’s hospitals is sadly all too common so it is appalling that prisoners seem to be getting better treatment.
“It is common sense that more should be spent serving up healthy and nutritional dishes to poorly patients.
"The public and victims of crime will rightly question why criminals behind bars receive better quality meals than patients stuck in Scotland's hospitals.
Having one of the highest incarceration rates of Wester Europe, the Scottish Prison Service has a £10.5million budget to feed inmates across the country (stock pic)
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“SNP ministers should urgently look into this spending disparity and ensure patients are prioritised over prisoners.”
Having one of the highest incarceration rates of Wester Europe (147 per 100,000 population), the Scottish Prison Service has a £10.5million budget to feed inmates across the country.
The budget accounts for three meals each day and one dessert, serving up the likes of sausage pie, steak, roast turkey, brownies and ice cream.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Prison food is the responsibility of the Scottish Prison Service, who have a responsibility to provide healthy and nutritious meals for everyone in their care, and health boards are responsible for patient food.”
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