I agree Steve. To me it's barbaric. I also think people who want prisoners to have a terrible time inside are barbaric too. The punishment in HMP is simply the loss of liberty, but the inmates should be (and are)treated with humanity. All prisons in UK are regularly inspected.
When we were obliged to have our much-loved cats put to sleep at various times in the past, it broke our hearts, but it was necessary. Each time, the vet advised us that the poor animal would not have much longer (each was very, very old and in poor health) and putting to sleep would be for the best. My husband sobbed, and I tried to hold the cat each time as the fatal injection was given. Now imagine that was a human being having their life snuffed out!