Forensic lab consultation ‘flawed’ say ministers

Some members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) believe the Scottish Police Services Authority’s (SPSA) consultation on proposals to close a forensics laboratory serving police in north Scotland is “flawed”.

The SPSA wants to merge a laboratory in Aberdeen, which serves the Grampian and Northern forces, with a new one in Dundee.

The Aberdeen facility has around 40 staff and manages approximately 11 per cent of the cases handled by Scotland’s forensic services. It is one of four forensic laboratories in Scotland and serves as a hub for biology, chemistry, fingerprints and crime scene examination.

Tom Nelson, director of SPSA forensic services, said a new facility would allow the SPSA to “develop a building that will support more effective ways of working from the start – rather than forcing staff and equipment to work around the constraints of the existing building in Dundee”.

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said the decision rests with the Holyrood government.

Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) have expressed concern about the proposals.

During a members’ debate at Holyrood, led by Aberdeen Central MSP Lewis Macdonald, north east politicians branded an SPSA consultation on the issue “flawed”, saying it had failed to look at the case for retaining the Aberdeen laboratory.

“Forensic science is vital in the fight against crime and the service provided to Grampian Police and Northern Constabulary from Aberdeen is second to none,” said Mr Macdonald, a Labour MSP.

Mr Ewing said: “I believe the SPSA understands that the process of engagement and consultation has been regarded as flawed.”

The minister said there had been “an attempt” at consultation, but pointed out that the buck stopped with ministers.

Mr Nelson added: “I want every pound spent to have a significant return for the communities in Scotland and therefore I want to make sure that where we invest that money we will get that return.

“I believe that will be through a merger of the Aberdeen and Dundee laboratories into a new purpose-built facility in Dundee, to allow us to provide that excellent service to the whole of the north and north east of Scotland.”

President of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), Grampian Police Chief Constable Colin McKerracher, said he believes investigations would suffer under the centralisation of forensic services.