Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

14 November 2007

MORE RESOURCES TO FIGHT SERIOUS CRIME AND SUPPORT WITNESSES

The Lord Advocate, The Rt Hon Elish Angiolini QC, today welcomed additional resources of £47m spread over the next three years for the prosecution of crime, following strategic spending review announcements by the Scottish Government.

Mrs Angiolini said:

"Crime is continually evolving to take advantage of developments in technology and it is essential that the prosecution service is able to keep pace if we are to work effectively with other criminal justice agencies to combat the growth in serious crime.

"This increase in resources is good news as it will allow us to fund the innovations necessary to investigate and prosecute serious and organised crime. Victims will also benefit, with additional resources being used to help us provide additional special measures which will enable vulnerable adult witnesses to cope with giving evidence in the summary courts.

"Resources will also be used to help the Service respond effectively to the increasing burdens of disclosure of evidence placed on Scotland's prosecutors, and assist in the forthcoming reforms to the summary justice system.

"I am pleased that the Scottish Government has, in awarding these additional resources, recognised the contribution the professional staff of COPFS continue to make to delivering a safer, stronger Scotland."

Notes to Editors

The Strategic Spending Review 2007 allocation to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is £110.2m, £118.7m and £120.5m in the 3 years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11, up from an estimated outturn of £100.8m in 2007-08. Increased resources will be spent on resourcing the most serious casework, providing additional Crown Counsel (to prosecute the most serious cases); increased internal staff effort to respond to the Lord Coulsfield review of Disclosure; and additional efforts to provide special measures to assist victims and witnesses, including vulnerable adults.

Communications

0844 561 4263

0844 561 3708

www.copfs.gov.uk