A 'catastrophic' decision by the Ministry of Justice to lease HMP Dartmoor, where high levels of radon gas had been detected, is expected to cost taxpayers over £100 million, according to a report by the Public Accounts Committee. The 10-year deal, signed in 2022, was made 'in a blind panic' to secure prison places, MPs said.
The category C prison, which housed many sex offenders, was closed in 2024 after radon levels up to ten times the recommended limit were found. Radon, a colourless and odourless radioactive gas, causes around 1,100 lung cancer deaths annually in the UK, according to the Health Security Agency.
The committee's report revealed that officials from HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) failed to negotiate a good deal and signed the lease before completing further radon tests. Under the contract, the department cannot terminate the lease until at least December 2033, paying around £4 million per year for an unusable prison, plus £68 million in fabric improvements.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative chair of the committee, called the handling 'an absolute disgrace, from top to bottom'. He said: 'We heard claims that the leasing of this unusable building, known for years to be choked with radon gas, was sensible. Our committee rejects this excuse outright.'
The Ministry of Justice defended the decision, stating it was taken in 2022 when the prison system was at risk of running out of places. A spokesperson said: 'This government inherited a crisis in our prisons system, where prisons were on the brink of collapse.' Over 500 former inmates and prison officers are bringing legal claims against the government.
