Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, how much the Crown Prosecution Service was required to pay in wasted cost orders in 2013-14.

The CPS maintains records of the overall value of costs payments made but does not distinguish between the various types of costs order available. To ascertain the types and value of individual costs awards made over the last five years would require a review of each case and this would incur disproportionate cost.

The CPS central financial records indicate that the department was required to pay £772,129.54 in costs awards in 2013-14. It should be noted that the accounts for 2013-14 are not finalised and this figure will be subject to audit and adjustment. Finalised figures will be available at the end of May 2014.

The value of total costs payments made in 2013/14, £772K, represents about 0.13% of overall CPS expenditure.