‘Catastrophic’ MoJ leasing of jail with toxic gas set to cost more than £100m

MPs criticise 10-year deal struck in blind panic' to rent Dartmoor prison, where high levels of radon had been detected

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.