Scottish ministers do not properly value work of prosecutors, union claims

A union representing prosecutors in Scotland has accused ministers of undervaluing their work.

The Procurators Fiscal Society of the FDA union alleged Scottish ministers value their work – including dealing with child sex abuse victims and some of the country’s most violent offenders – less than that of government lawyers.

It said a “significant number” of prosecutors had moved to the Scottish Government in recent months and many earn up to £10,000 more than their procurator fiscal salary.

In a written submission to Holyrood’s Justice Committee, the union states: “FDA wishes to make it clear to ministers that we consider the failure to remunerate staff within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) on a comparative basis with lawyers in other parts of Scottish Government demonstrates that they do not properly value the work undertaken by Scotland’s prosecutors.

“There is value in the work undertaken by colleagues across the Scottish Government but how can it be right that those who deal with vulnerable witnesses, victims of child sexual abuse and the prosecution in the public interest of some of the most serious and violent offenders in Scotland are valued and rewarded less than their Scottish Government counterparts?”

In August, the Scottish Government announced an extra £3.6 million for the COPFS to recruit up to 140 permanent staff, including up to 60 new permanent prosecutors.

The society welcomed this but warned the service may struggle to recruit due to salaries offered.

“We would suggest that the starting salaries and the relevant pay scales may not be competitive with those found both elsewhere in the public and in the private sector and would draw only inexperienced staff,” the society said in its submission.

“FDA is concerned therefore that despite the welcome efforts of the department to recruit more staff, at best this will not be a quick process and at worst it may not be possible to recruit in the numbers hoped for.”

A representative from the society is due to give evidence at the committee on Tuesday along with the PCS union.