THE LAW OFFICERS' DEPARTMENTS:     THE CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE
                                   THE SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE
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The Law Officers welcome the result of the Comprehensive Spending
Review.

"The outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the
recommendations  from the Glidewell Report provide the basis for a
fresh start for the Crown  Prosecution Service.  I look forward to
seeing the CPS play its full part in improving  the performance of
the criminal justice system as a whole.

"The Serious Fraud Office has demonstrated its importance and
effectiveness as an  independent investigator and prosecutor.  The
increase in resources reflects the  emphasis and importance the
government places on combating and reducing the  costs of fraud".

Attorney General (Rt Hon John Morris QC MP)

Key Targets

By the end of the Parliament, the Government will have:

 - reduced the time taken to process criminal cases including
serious fraud cases
 
 - halved the time taken from arrest to
sentence of persistent young offenders

 - reorganised the CPS into 42 Areas sharing common boundaries with 
police and other criminal justice system agencies

Crown Prosecution Service: Changes and Reforms

Future expenditure plans allow the CPS:

 - to continue to improve working relationships with the police
and to contribute  positively to reducing delays in the criminal
justice system

 - to take account of the costs of implementing new criminal
justice legislation

 - to contribute to a more effective and efficient criminal justice 
system through a new trilateral approach with the Home Office and 
the Lord Chancellor's Department

New Spending Plans

As a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the plans for CPS
expenditure  over the next three years have been increased.

#' million

KEY            Budget
NUMBERS        1998-1999    1999-2000    2000-2001    2001-2002

Total Plans    281.8        312.1        316.1        313.0
 -  Current    277.8        308.1        312.1        309.0
 - Capital     4.0          4.0          4.0          4.0


Serious Fraud Office - Changes and Reforms

The SFO will be:

 - targeting resources more effectively at investigation and
prosecution of cases

 - making improvements in internal efficiency as part of the
continued drive to  seek value for money, in particular through the
DOCMAN PFI project which will  provide a document handling and
management system for the millions of  documents in each SFO case and
enhanced investigative ability through  "intelligent" search tools

 - making an increased contribution to the criminal justice system
by working, in  cooperation with others, to improve efficiency and
effectiveness in the way the  CJS handles serious and complex fraud
particularly through enhanced trial  management and presentation of
evidence and improved relationships with  other entities and
jurisdictions.

New Spending Plans

Plans for the Serious Fraud Office have been increased by some £1.5
million in the three years covered by the CSR.

#'million

KEY         Budget
NUMBERS     1998-99     1999-2000     2000-2001    2001-2002

Total plans 15.5        17.1          17.5         17.5
- Current   15.3        16.9          17.3         17.3
- Capital    0.2         0.2           0.2          0.2

Notes for Editors

1.     The Crown Prosecution Service Annual Report for 1997-98 is to
be published  on 23 July 1998.  Further information is available from
the Press Office, Crown  Prosecution Service, 50 Ludgate Hill, London
EC4M 7EX.  Telephone 0171 273 8105.   Fax 0171 329 8377.

2.     The Serious Fraud Office Annual Report for 1997-98 is to be
published on 16  July 1998.  Further information is available from
the Press Office, Serious Fraud  Office, Elm House, 10-16 Elm Street,
London WC1X 0BJ.  Telephone 0171 239  7004.  Fax 0171 837 1689.
 
# = pounds sterling