‘Flawed’ plan to close forensics lab to be studied

Police Authority’s new convener to look at criticised consultation process

By Cameron Brooks

Published:

The new convener of the Scottish Police Services Authority is to examine plans to close a north of Scotland crime-fighting unit, it emerged yesterday.

Vic Emery will examine what critics describe as a “flawed” consultation process into proposals to shut a forensic science and fingerprint lab in Aberdeen and transfer services to Dundee.

He will then report back to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who will make the final decision.

The minister made the commitment to five cross-party MSPs who are fighting to safeguard the lab which provides an “invaluable” service to Grampian Police and Northern Constabulary.

However, Mr MacAskill rejected a call for a fresh consultation exercise to be carried out.

He said a document, published by the authority (SPSA) in November, highlighting reasons to transfer services to a £16.2million facility in Tayside, was not a consultation document as widely believed.

Mr MacAskill assured Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald, the SNP’s Brian Adam, Tory Nanette Milne and Liberal Democrats’ Nicol Stephen and Mike Rumbles that no decision had been taken to close the facility in Nelson Street, Aberdeen.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The justice secretary expects the new convener of the SPSA to review all the information available and the views expressed before any advice is submitted to ministers on the way forward.

“The consultation is ongoing and will help inform any final decisions.”

The police authority has stated that a new laboratory in Dundee would save taxpayers money and provide a better service to the police.

But Grampian Chief Constable Colin McKerracher says closing the Aberdeen facility would have a detrimental impact on solving crime across the north of Scotland.

All five MSPs said they were pleased Mr Emery, who took up his post on January 1, would review the consultation process.

They said the “fight goes on” and they would continue to put pressure on Mr MacAskill.

MSPs are debating the closure plans in the Scottish Parliament tomorrow.

Tom Nelson, director of SPSA forensic services, said: “We welcome the opportunity this gives us to assess what further work is needed to address concerns, and assure our customers in policing and the procurator fiscal service that they will get an excellent forensic laboratory service.”