The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

The criminal justice system was on the brink of collapse and courts in crisis after fourteen years of neglect. We need to make our streets safe again, while also rebuilding confidence in the system.

That is why I welcome the Chancellor’s record investment into the future of CPS as part of the government’s Plan for Change to deliver safer streets and swifter justice.

This additional £96m for the Crown Prosecution Service will help protect victims by tackling the backlog, speeding up justice and unlocking digital developments through AI so we can keep dangerous offenders off our streets – and importantly, deliver a justice system that serves victims.

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said:

The funding announced will help the Crown Prosecution Service meet the significant challenges of the future while focusing on our number one priority: to reduce delays so victims get justice sooner.

This settlement will mean more prosecutors who can charge cases and get them ready for court, bringing more criminals to justice and giving closure to more victims – which in turn makes our streets safer.

It will also help unlock the potential of artificial intelligence and other technologies which will mean our prosecutors can work more efficiently, helping us do even more with this much needed funding.

For background

The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) Spending Review settlement increases the organisation’s funding by more than 10% from 2026 to 2029.

This settlement recognises the significant pressure CPS continues to be under due to increasing demand on the criminal justice system.

The additional £96m over the Spending Review period will allow CPS to:

• increase the number of prosecutors
• build capacity and capability through focused recruitment and development schemes
• continuously improve the quality and efficiency of CPS’s service
• enable CPS to continue to play part in the cross-government effort to reduce delays in the justice system
• invest in improving the experience of the prosecution process for victims and witnesses
• Further funding will also be made available to develop key digital programmes –Digital Jury Bundles, in-house technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) capability – increasing productivity and efficiency and enhancing the quality of CPS services. 
• Funding for digital innovation will enable the CPS to drive value for money to create a leaner, more efficient service for victims and witnesses.