UK prison lease scandal: HMP Dartmoor closed after costly, risky lease despite high radon; £68M upgrades planned, 500+ claims filed.

The UK Ministry of Justice faces criticism for a 2022 lease of HMP Dartmoor, signed despite known high radon levels, leading to a £4 million annual cost for an unusable prison and £68 million in expected upgrades. The prison closed in 2024 and remains shut, with no option to terminate the lease before 2033. A parliamentary committee called the decision "catastrophic" and "panic-driven," citing inadequate testing and lack of safeguards. Over 500 former inmates and staff have filed health-related legal claims, while the MoJ defends the move as necessary amid a prison overcrowding crisis.