Chapter 365: Yes, Minister (Edited)

"It's just a coincidence," Tom said with a smile.

His plan to build a prison was about to begin.

Tom's prison plan was very timely. The British government has faced financial difficulties in recent years and needs to find ways to save money and generate income. This private prison plan seems to be pleasing to the ministers. The only concern is that it is a prison for serious offenders, so it needs to be carefully considered. However, with Yuri's help in facilitating relations, this should not be a major problem.

Fortunately, in recent times, the attention of Parliament and the Senate has shifted towards cabinet restructuring, which means fewer complications for Tom and his prison. Furthermore, Tom's prison is presented as a prison that will promote "human rights." His partner Yuri claims that the internal security facilities will be impeccable, and once built, it will be one of the most difficult prisons to escape from. However, prisoners will also have considerable freedom of movement within the facilities, where they can engage in activities like sports, reading, and work.

This is exactly what the parliament members, with fat and carefree minds, desire.

Recently, a strange trend has emerged in the UK, with an increase in so-called "prisoner rights advocates." These people do not consider the crimes committed by prisoners and only demand better conditions for them in prison. It seems like they believe that if prisoners are more comfortable in prison, they are helping them get to heaven.

Of course, this is just the beginning, and this trend will only become more exaggerated in the future. For example, Halden Prison in Norway, completed in 2010 after 10 years of construction and costing $252 million, focuses on human rights. There, prisoners can still enjoy citizen rights like medical care. The living conditions for prisoners there surpass those of most citizens in developing countries.

Around the prison, there are over 450 acres of forest, concealing the walls, and within the prison, there are 12 acres of natural forest with walking and running trails, as well as benches and flowers, making the prison look like a large garden. If I didn't tell you, you'd probably think it's a luxury resort.

In this prison, every prisoner has their own cell, equipped with televisions, small fridges, and clean and tidy private bathrooms. Yes, private bathrooms and good lighting...

How many full-time workers can rent a room worse than these cells?

Additionally, there is a variety of free snacks, ice cream, and beverages, and there is even a state-of-the-art dental clinic within the prison.

Most surprisingly, all the prisoners there are serious offenders, guilty of murder, rape, and drug trafficking...

These people, they'd be better off as food for the Dementors.

It's absurd to provide luxury treatment to this kind of scum, according to Tom. Why not use that money for something else instead of building a seven-star prison?

Tom thinks it would be great if all of Europe's garbage could be sent to his prison to serve their sentences. But unfortunately, all of this is just his wish. The prison he wants to build doesn't even have finished architectural drawings.

What's most interesting is that Tom has unexpected support.

...

London, Office of the Minister of Administrative Affairs

"Humphrey, this is truly shocking," Hacker said as he held his glasses and stared intently at a document.

"Minister?" a middle-aged man with a proper appearance holding a black folder stood in front of Minister Hacker, looking slightly confused, unsure of what madness had occurred in the Minister's mind. This man was Sir Humphrey Appleby, Hacker's Permanent Secretary and the behind-the-scenes manipulator of the entire department.

"I mean, the country's spending on prisoners is incredibly high, they burn through a destroyer's worth in a year! And that figure keeps rapidly increasing," Hacker dropped the document onto the desk wearily and rubbed his forehead with fatigue.

"And?" Sir Humphrey didn't rush to express his attitude but wanted to hear Hacker's opinion. He had come prepared today, so to speak.

Some time ago, his former Oxford student had introduced him to a successful international commodities trader, and he had met and talked with that wealthy man named Yuri.

As friends, Yuri invited Sir Humphrey to join his business: a private prison. After doing some research, Sir Humphrey thought this business seemed very good, a safe deal without losses. So, he eagerly accepted and slipped a report into the minister's folder.

That report was the annual report on prison expenses. Sir Humphrey was confident that Hacker couldn't ignore it once he saw it.

And so, like a fish on a hook, Hacker was lured in by the report.

"A prison is a place to reform criminals, an institution meant to punish them, how can it be so extravagant and wasteful? The inmates here spend more money in a year than I have to live on," Hacker complained without realizing Humphrey's conspiracy.

"We should make prisoners work hard in the prison, have them earn their keep through labor," he added.

"Minister, if I didn't know you didn't graduate from Oxford, I'd definitely suspect you're a Soviet spy," Sir Humphrey quipped.

Hacker: ???

"The expenses for prisoners in the Soviet Union aren't high; they like to send prisoners to the wild lands of Siberia to cultivate potatoes. Some years they grow corn. I believe if you follow the Soviet Union's example, you could cut costs. Let me think, you could choose Scotland as the location and have prisoners fish to survive. It's a bold decision."

Hacker caught Sir Humphrey's sarcastic irony and noted the keywords: Soviet Union and boldness.

For a politician like him, they were pure poison, bound to cause endless trouble.

He shuddered a bit, almost wishing to abandon his own ideas. However, after a brief moment, possibly out of a pang of conscience, he decided to ask Humphrey, "Sir Humphrey, do we have any ways to reduce prisoner expenses that are not so Soviet or bold but still effective?"

Humphrey had been waiting for his words. He had just worried about going too far and shutting down the Minister's thoughts on cost-cutting, but finally, Hacker spoke.

"Of course, we do, Minister," Humphrey replied, pretending to think for a moment and presenting his strategy.

"Private prisons?" Hacker exclaimed with an expression of disbelief. "How do those two words even go together?"

After getting a detailed understanding, Hacker suddenly realized that private prisons were actually a great idea. They saved money and trouble, and he wouldn't have to deal with those inmates. It was perfect.

Even better, prisoners across the ocean had been using it for a while, and it seemed to work well.

"Very well, let's try implementing prison privatization," Hacker determined.

"Yes, Minister," Humphrey showed a slight smile at the corner of his lips.