The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has spent £0 on external legal advice that covers international law matters commissioned from 5th July 2024.

However, the AGO has spent £7,028.40 for external legal advice covering international law matters that was sought and received by the previous administration prior to 5th July 2024.

Expenditure on consultancy by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is routinely published in their annual accounts, which are also laid before the House of Commons annually. These can be accessed on the SFO’s website at Annual reports and accounts - Serious Fraud Office (sfo.gov.uk) and the CPS’ website at Annual reports, business plans and strategies | The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk).

The accounts of the SFO and CPS for 2023/24 are expected to be published in July 2024.

Expenditure on consultancy by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is routinely published in their annual accounts, which are also laid before the House of Commons annually. These can be accessed on the SFO’s website at Annual reports and accounts - Serious Fraud Office (sfo.gov.uk) and the CPS’ website at Annual reports, business plans and strategies | The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk).

The accounts of the SFO and CPS for 2023/24 are expected to be published in July 2024.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) does not disclose the costs of its cases as this risks prejudicing the administration of justice and is against the public interest.

the SFO legal costs settled with defendants to date amount to £2.15m. The figure was published in the SFO's recent Annual Report and Accounts. Other settlements have yet to be confirmed.

The Employment Tribunal case in question initially concluded in February 2021. The cost to the SFO at that time was approximately £83,000.

The associated Employment Appeal Tribunal concluded in July 2022. The proceedings have been remitted to the Employment Tribunal, a date is yet to be confirmed, and costs will be finalised once this has concluded.

As stated in the response to the Hon. Member’s previous question [45309] the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) investigation into ENRC is ongoing. The ENRC have brought two civil actions for alleged misfeasance against the SFO. This matter remains ongoing and as such the final costs are not yet determined.

The SFO does not disclose the costs associated with its cases as this risks prejudicing the administration of justice and is against the public interest. Information on how the SFO uses resources is published in aggregate in its Annual Report and Accounts.

The costs of Sir David Calvert-Smith’s independent review into the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) handling of the Unaoil case (R. v Akle & Anor), which was commissioned by the Attorney General, are still being finalised. The costs to date to the Attorney General’s Office are £84,571.90. There are some costs outstanding, but it is anticipated these will not increase the overall cost of the review significantly. The total costs will be recovered from the SFO.

The cost of Brian Altman QC’s independent review of the collapse of R v. Woods & Marshall, which was commissioned by the Director of the SFO, was £359,442.37. This was paid for by the SFO.

Both reviews presented valuable recommendations and the implementation of these remain a priority for the Law Officers and the Director of the SFO.

For the last five years, The Attorney General’s Office has had a nil spend for external consultants*

Details of all Government contracts awarded from 2016 above £10,000 and £25,000 in the wider public sector are published on Contracts Finder. Each award notice provides information on the name of the supplier, value of the contract, its purpose and information on the type of awarding procedure used. Government departments, their individual agencies and Arm’s Length Bodies are required to publish all spend against individual suppliers above £25,000 on GOV.UK.

All Government Departments and their individual ALBs and agencies are required to follow the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in awarding contracts.

* Whilst preparing this response the department have not considered the use of specialist counsel or short-term contractor contracts as consultancy.

The Attorney’s General Office spent £7,000 in the 2020/21 financial year and £4,450 in the 2021/22 financial year on consultancy services. The figures for the last five years are available in the table below.

First Treasury Counsel is a senior self-employed advocate who undertakes civil litigation and advisory work for all Government departments. The Attorney General appoints First Treasury Counsel through a fair and open competition. First Treasury Counsel’s responsibilities are:

• To be the Government’s main advocate in civil litigation affecting the Crown. First Treasury Counsel has responsibility for dealing with the wide range of litigation affecting the Government. First Treasury Counsel will help to shape the way that the Government handles its litigation and as a result will help to shape the way that public law develops.
• To advise civil servants and Ministers in conference and in writing.
• To play a key role in leading the Attorney General’s panels and to participate in the selection of panel members.
• To speak at training events and conferences for members of the Government Legal Service.
• To play an important role in advising the Government. It is therefore important that First Treasury Counsel is able to give sound, practical and robust legal advice to Ministers and can inspire their confidence.
• To appear before a wide range of Courts in some of the most important public law cases of the day. First Treasury Counsel must be able to inspire the Judiciary’s confidence both as regards legal ability and integrity.

First Treasury Counsel is appointed on the basis that:

• They must do exclusively Government work for the duration of their appointment;
• No particular level of work or remuneration is guaranteed;
• They are self-employed;
• They must have dedicated administrative support within their chambers/office to support a very busy and varied practice as First Treasury Counsel; and
• The period of appointment is indefinite and terminable by either side at any time.

Whether and how often the Attorney General seeks and receives external legal advice relates to her function as a Law Officer and chief legal adviser to the Government. It is a longstanding convention, accepted by governments of all parties, not to disclose whether the Law Officers have been asked to give legal advice, have given legal advice, or the contents of any such advice.

This convention protects the Law Officers’ ability to give full and frank legal advice on some of the most contentious and difficult issues the Government may consider.

Within the limits of that convention, it is possible to say that, due to the volume and significance of the litigation and legal issues where First Treasury Counsel is instructed for the government, the Attorney General or the members of her Office have frequent contact with First Treasury Counsel.

The Attorney General and the Attorney General’s Office are subject to the same requirements and oversight in relation to the use of public funds as any other minister or Government department, as set out in the relevant guidance from HM Treasury.

On average the department spends £348,089.16 on communications staff. We have 7 staff dedicated to communications all of which are full time employees.

On average the department spends £348,089.16 on communications staff. We have 7 staff dedicated to communications all of which are full time employees.

The Attorney General’s Office uses the free subscription services only on departmental social media accounts and therefore has had a nil spend on social media advertising.

The change in the level of funding allocated to the Crown Prosecution Service in each year since 2009 has been as follows:

* Accounts not yet subject to audit