Darling sets aside £11m a year to tackle fraud

The Government’s promise to inject £11m a year into the Law Officers’ Department to tackle fraud has been welcomed by attorney general Baroness Scotland.

The injection of cash for the next three financial years was announced as part of Chancellor Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review (CSR).

The investment will establish a national fraud strategic authority, which is being developed by the attorney general’s office. Part of the £11m per year investment will also go to the Lead Police Force and National Fraud Reporting Centre to strengthen the efforts in tackling fraud.

Scotland said that the payment demonstrates the priority the Government gives to tackling fraud, an issue that had too low a priority in the past.

“Overall, the Law Officer’s Departments’ strategy will be to maximise value by co-operating with Criminal Justice System colleagues to streamline the criminal justice process,” added Scotland.

At the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the CSR provides the office with £9.7bn per annum for the next three years, which will include funding the Government’s programme to deliver 9,400 new prison places by 2012.

To deliver a modernised courts service and a sustainable legal aid system £100m has been allocated.