Scottish Ministers have denied they are facing a £7m compensation bill for prisoners denied the right to vote at the Holyrood elections in May.

According to a report in the Glasgow Evening Times, three Court of Session judges have ruled banning prisoners from voting breached the European Convention on Human Rights and made a formal declaration of incompatibility. Scotland has 7 000 prisoners, and some experts claim a recent court ruling in Europe sets £1 000 as a proper level of compensation - suggesting a potential bill of up to £7m. Awarding compensation could be the only way to prevent the elections being caught up in legal actions from prisoners. At least one law firm acting for prisoners is to seek an interim interdict against Scottish Ministers to halt the elections. If they fail, lawyers will seek compensation instead.
Full Glasgow Evening Times report