Life as a Member of Parliament in the UK just got a little nicer. Not only do members have access to those sweet powdered wigs, they will also each receive a new iPad Air 2, and a laptop!
The House of Commons Commission announced the hardware refresh on Tuesday, which will cost around £200,000 for each year of the Parliament’s tenure.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Chi Onwurah criticized the decision to lock MPs into Apple’s iOS platform instead of what she called a “device independent digital platform.”
“Locking some of the most powerful people in the country into a platform that most of my constituents can’t afford seems like a mistake.
“And that’s without mentioning the tax avoidance issue. I’m pushing for a device independent digital platform for Parliament.”
Commission chairman John Thurso noted that iPads are “integrated with current business processes and infrastructure” due to their use across Parliament since 2012.
“A move away from the Apple operating system at this time would incur costs to change these processes,” he said. “Our requirements are for a secure, SIM-enabled tablet with a good life expectancy and capable of supporting future upgrades,” said Thurso.
The MPs will receive a 16GB W-Fi + Cellular iPad Air 2, priced at £499. No word on what color options will be made available to them.
