Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of prisoners affected by (1) elevated radon gas readings at HMP Dartmoor, and (2) the subsequent closure of that prison in July.

All prisoners were decanted fully from HMP Dartmoor by July 2024 following the operational decision to close the prison temporarily. Following the temporary closure, we have been working with specialist radon experts to investigate and assess options to reduce levels of radon sufficiently to allow us to re-open the prison safely.

The health and safety of prisoners and staff continues to be a top priority, and while this process is ongoing, we are unable to provide an estimated timeline for the return of Dartmoor to its full operational capacity. We continue to work with Health and Safety experts to further our understanding of the impact that exposure levels could have on individual prisoners and staff.

The cost of the work involved would depend upon which is the most appropriate option. If it is concluded that it is feasible and cost effective to return the prison to use, we will complete a full assessment, considering all options for the site.