"A catastrophic decision by the Ministry of Justice to sign a 10-year lease on a prison where high levels of a poisonous gas had been detected is expected to cost the UK taxpayer more than 100m, parliament's spending watchdog has concluded. The public accounts committee said the 2022 deal to rent HMP Dartmoor from the Duchy of Cornwall was signed in a blind panic by senior civil servants looking to guarantee prison places."
"The category C prison, which held many sex offenders, was closed in 2024 after levels of radon up to 10 times higher than the recommended limit were recorded in some areas. The government has since admitted that it was aware that elevated readings of the gas were found in 2020. Radon, a colourless and odourless radioactive gas, causes about 1,100 lung cancer deaths in the UK every year, according to the Health Security Agency."
A ten-year 2022 lease of HMP Dartmoor will cost UK taxpayers over £100m. The Category C prison recorded radon levels up to ten times the recommended limit and closed in 2024. The government had been aware of elevated radon readings since 2020. Contract terms prevent lease termination until at least December 2033. HM Prison and Probation Service is paying about £4m per year for an unusable site, covering rent, business rates and security. An additional approximately £68m is required for fabric improvements over the lease period. Officials failed to negotiate favorable terms and signed the deal before completing further radon tests.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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