HC Deb 04 May 1983 vol 42 cc231-2
37. Mr. Dewar

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether he is satisfied with the present, staffing levels in the procurator fiscal service.

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

No. An increase in staffing levels is required and it is expected that legal staff will be increased by 2.5 per cent. in the year 1983–84 and other staff by 3 per cent.

Mr. Dewar

Is the Solicitor-General for Scotland aware that certain district councils which have the statutory duty to organise the district courts are worried and disturbed by the habit of cancelling courts because the fiscal service cannot service them? That leads to disruption and to an extension of the time that accused persons have to wait for trial. Will the hon. and learned Gentleman look sympathetically at this problem to see whether anything can be done to help overcome the difficulties?

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

Yes, I am very much aware of the problems, particularly in Glasgow. Last Friday I went to Glasgow district court to see the difficulties for myself. The problems are that two administrations are trying to co-ordinate the system. This is certainly a difficulty, but I hope that as a result of the procurator fiscal at Glasgow working with the district councils, given their administrative problems, the worst problems will be resolved.

Mr. Tom Clarke

Is the Minister aware that many of these staffing problems in the procurator fiscal's office and in the sheriff courts go back to the Government's appalling handling of the Civil Service dispute two years ago? If it is all right for the Government to encourage district councils to appoint more people to deal with the sale of council houses, is it not time that we had an adequate number of civil servants to deal with the problems in those departments?

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

The problems that were caused by the strikes in the Scottish courts have now effectively passed through the system. However, there are difficulties in staffing levels and, as I have already said, there is to be a modest increase in the staff provided.