UK's £100 Million Prison Deal Signed in "Blind Panic" Over Toxic Gas

A disastrous 10-year lease for a prison with known toxic gas problems will cost UK taxpayers over £100 million. Parliament's spending watchdog has condemned the deal. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) signed the lease for HMP Dartmoor in 2022. It rented the prison from the Duchy of Cornwall, the estate of the Prince of Wales. Senior officials made the deal during a "blind panic" to secure more prison spaces. This is according to a report by the Public Accounts Committee of MPs. The committee says the MoJ committed to the lease despite knowing about dangerous radon gas levels at the site. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. The 10-year rental agreement is now considered a catastrophic misuse of public funds. The total cost is expected to exceed £100 million.