The FDA has sent its petition for justice to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, ahead of the government’s spending review later this month.
“As the caseload backlog soars past 45,000 and FDA members in the CPS report a workload crisis, it is vital that the Chancellor invests in the justice system,” says the FDA’s National Offer for the Crown Prosecution Service, Duncan Woodhead.
The petition has over 2,500 signatures, and follows the FDA’s Manifesto for Justice, which was launched in 2019. The FDA is calling on the government to meet four key demands:
Woodhead acknowledges the “huge demands” on public finances during the pandemic, but points out that “a functioning justice system is the bedrock of a functioning democracy.”
“Access to justice is a fundamental right and it must be protected.”
While these changes begin to address challenges identified by our members in the CPS, the union continues its call for increased CPS funding, in order to help tackle these crimes long-term.
The FDA sign formal recognition agreement for special advisers with Satvir Kaur MP, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office
In response to announcements on civil service pay, the FDA welcome progression for Senior Civil Servants, but introducing progression for other grades remains ‘top pay priority’ after ‘lack of meaningful change for two decades’.
