HEARSAYGenerally this blog deals in facts, opinions, criticisms and occasionally praise with regard to people and events connected in some way with law, justice and their management and consequences. Today I make an exception and repeat some gossip or unattributed hearsay albeit from a source fairly close to the alleged origin.

It is thought that the Crown Prosecution Service has shed around 10% of its qualified legal staff ie lawyers. It is apparent to all who work in the magistrates` courts that there is an increasing number of agents prosecuting cases. Indeed that is one reason for current observations that the CPS is less efficient than one would have hoped notwithstanding the hyped up introduction of paperless activity on the prosecution desk. Apparently the CPS in a single large amalgamated justice area under the control of a single justices` clerk is spending £200,000 per month on agency fees for the supply of prosecuting lawyers because the organisation has limited staff remaining to carry out their obligations on behalf of the crown. £2.4 million annually could purchase the services of 40 lawyers at eg total salary package of £60,000 per annum. £200,000 monthly represents the costs of hiring lawyers for 20 days in that month for crown and magistrates` courts. Assuming the hired lawyer receives £250 and the agency £75 that £325/lawyer day allows for 615 such “lawyer days” monthly in said jurisdiction. Another way of looking at the numbers is that the CPS is spending £10,000 every court day on hiring agency lawyers.

If my information and interpretation are approaching anything termed reasonable accuracy are there any sensible and/or constructive conclusions?