Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Clarke of Nottingham and Gareth Thomas

Tuesday 31st January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

T7. Will the Secretary of State explain how he thinks that axing 1,000 posts at the Crown Prosecution Service will help him to bring more criminals to justice?

[Mr Kenneth Clarke]

I am sure that my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has ensured that, in making changes to the budget and staffing of the Crown Prosecution Service, he is not reducing the quality of service that it provides. These things are not best measured by whether a body has ever-expanding payrolls or budgets; that tended to be the approach of the former Government, in which the hon. Gentleman served. We are trying to produce better value for money, in order to cope with the appalling financial crisis that we inherited from our predecessors.