Crown Prosecution Service Resource Accounts 2009 - 2010

Resource Accounts 2009 - 2010
Management Commentary

Introduction

The Accounts report the resources that have been consumed working to deliver the Department's aim and objective. This report has been prepared in accordance with the guidance set out in the Government's Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).

The Law Officers' and the Law Officers' Departments

The Attorney General and the Solicitor General are the Government's Law Officers. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is one of three Law Officers' Departments. The other departments are the Serious Fraud Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

The Law Officers have a statutory duty to superintend the Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland and the Director of the Serious Fraud Office. The Law Officers are accountable to Parliament for the performance of the departments they superintend. The Law Officers are also Ministers responsible for the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the National Fraud Authority (NFA), HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and have oversight of the Government Legal Service (GLS).

On occasion, when it does not conflict with their government role, the Law Officers advise Parliament on procedural questions, matters of standards and privileges and on the meaning and effect of proposed legislation.

CPS Aim and Vision

The CPS works in partnership with the Home Office, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and other agencies throughout the Criminal Justice System (CJS) to reduce crime, the fear of crime, and its social and economic cost; to dispense justice fairly and efficiently and to promote confidence in the rule of law.

Flowing from this, the CPS re-stated its vision in 2008:

The CPS is a prosecution service that is confident and independent, efficient and effective - becoming truly world class. Everything that we do aims to deliver justice for all and to make our communities safer.

In 2009 the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) aligned the vision for the CPS within that of a 21st century public prosecution service, one whose fundamental role and purpose is to:

• Protect the public;
• Support victims and witnesses; and
• Deliver justice.

CPS Strategy

The CPS subscribes to the Attorney General's vision for the Law Officers' Departments and is working to become an independent prosecution service that delivers a valued public service. For 2009-10 this has been set out through the delivery of the five strategic objectives contained in the business plan:

• Focus the CPS's support to victims, witnesses and communities;
• Embed our advocacy strategy;
• Improve performance in the magistrates' courts;
• Ensure that CPS people are well led, managed and engaged; and
• Contribute to the wider CJS.

Departmental Funding

The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) 2007 settlement announced in October 2007 reflected a challenging fiscal environment and provided the CPS with an average annual real reduction in provision of 3.5% against the baseline budget of £640 million for 2007-08, equivalent to savings in real terms of £69 million per annum by 2010-11. Details of performance in achieving the department's Efficiency Delivery Plan targets are given in the Annual Report.

The CSR 2007 settlement identified a series of ambitious value for money reforms to be taken forward by the CPS and the other Law Officers' Departments. Within the target described above the CPS was required to deliver:

• At least three per cent net value for money gains per annum; and
• Five per cent annual real reductions in the core administration budget.

The savings target was subsequently increased by an additional £14 million in 2009-10 following the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) merger. Following the General Election, a further £16 million in savings is sought in 2010-11, and the CPS is now undertaking work on the next Spending Review, the outcome of which is to be announced in Autumn 2010.