Scot Labour Party outraged over decision to get flat-screen TVs for prisoners

LONDON - The Scottish Labour Party is outraged over Scottish Prison Service (SPS)’s decision to order 1,600 flat-screen televisions for inmates.

The party’s justice spokesman Richard Baker said that the SPS’ move to acquire TV sets for use across its estate of prisons will “shock” the public

“Many of my constituents can’t afford new televisions, and particularly not swanky 19in flat-screen affairs. What sort of message does this send?” the Daily Express quoted Baker, as saying.

A SPS spokesman however defended the decision, saying that TVs have been “a feature” of prisons since 1999, when Labour began eight years in administration at the Scottish Parliament.

“Prisoners are charged one pound per week for televisions and we have around 7,800 prisoners at the moment. There is, therefore, no cost to the taxpayer,” the spokesman said.

“Televisions are not a right, but a privilege, and prisoners have them at the discretion of the governor,” he added. (ANI)