More is being spent on meals for prisoners than for some patients in hospital, according to new figures. The stats, uncovered by the Tories, also show Scotland is paying more to feed convicts than the equivalent spend in England and Wales.
Prisoner meals in the Lilias Centre facility in Glasgow cost £5.30, while patients within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are provided meals at a cost of £4.32
At HMP Inverness, meals are £4.05, but NHS Highland meals patients cost £3.01. Meals at HMP Kilmarnock cost £4.71, compared to £3.69 for patients in the local board.
Meals at every Scottish prison cost more than the health service grub given to patients in NHS Ayrshire & Arran and NHS Highland.
The average cost per day for meals in Scotland is £4.27 compared to around £2.70 in England and Wales. The Scottish Prison Service’s food budget for 2023-24 is £10.4m.
Scottish Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton said: “It is completely outrageous that many prisoners in Scotland seem to be better fed than some hospital patients. 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. SNP ministers should urgently look into this spending disparity and ensure patients are prioritised over prisoners.”
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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