| Synopsis: |
The Supplementary Estimates for 2013-14 laid by the Treasury on 12 February 2014 included one for the Serious Fraud Office comprising GBP19 million for additional departmental expenditure limit (DEL) resource provision. The ambit of this Supplementary Estimate is: 'administration of The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) offices; capital costs and operational costs incurred including costs of staff, fees to Counsel and outside accountants, witness expenses, use of information technology to improve presentation of evidence, other investigation, prosecution and litigation costs, defendants' costs and damages ordered by the court to be paid by the SFO, and associated non-cash costs falling in DEL'. The Committee considers that the Supplementary, and the funding arrangements for so-called Blockbuster cases which underlie it, are matters which should be drawn to the attention of the House before it is asked to approve the Estimates. They intend to pursue with the Attorney General the question of whether he considers that the current funding arrangements of the SFO are sustainable. |