SR2002/Legal
15 July 2002
Improving the delivery of justice
Additional resources to fund a step change in efforts to improve the working of the Criminal Justice system were announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown today.
The Lord Chancellor's Department and the Crown Prosecution Service, working with the Home Office, will improve the delivery of justice with a target of 1.2 million successful criminal prosecutions by 2005-06. Other key features of today's announcement include:
- A commitment to a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials;
- Around £650 million extra investment over three years in case management IT across the Criminal Justice System, which will link in the Crown Prosecution Service and the Crown and Magistrates courts.
In response to the new spending plans, Lord Goldsmith the Attorney General said:
"Progress has been achieved in reducing unnecessary delays in criminal cases. The settlement will lay the foundations for ensuring the more effective disposal of cases. The Government wants to see pre-trial and trial processes which are more tightly managed, less wasteful and more responsive to the needs of victims, witnesses and the wider public. "
Notes for editors
1. The 2002 Spending Review provides the following increases:
| £ million | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Lord Chancellor' Departments | ||||
| Legal aid budget (all resource) | 1,748 | 1,819 | 1,874 | 1,929 |
| Other Resource Budget | 1,106 | 1,271 | 1,404 | 1,414 |
| Capital Budget | 74 | 77 | 101 | 117 |
| Total Departmental Expenditure Limit1 | 2,855 | 3,082 | 3,293 | 3,293 |
| Near-cash spending in LCD DEL2 | 2,843 | 3,098 | 3,309 | 3,388 |
| Law Officers' Departments | ||||
| Resource Budget | 470 | 497 | 523 | 543 |
| Capital Budget | 10 | 6 | 14 | 16 |
| Total Departmental Expenditure Limit1 | 466 | 488 | 520 | 541 |
| Near-cash spending in Law Officers' DEL2 | 461 | 483 | 514 | 535 |
1 Full resource budgeting basis, net of depreciation.
2 Consistent with previous control basis.
2. There will be additional resources to deliver:
- CPS and the Criminal Courts linked into a CJS-wide IT system, as part of £600m extra investment in case management across the CJS;
- Initiatives by CJS departments to bring about a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials.
3. For further details please contact the LCD Press Office on 020 7210 8512/3, or visit the LCD website: www.lcd.gov.uk.