A YORK MP who fears Government spending cuts could slow justice in the city is to see for himself how computer-based prosecuting works in its courts.

Hugh Bayley is calling for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to drop its money-saving plans to move its North Yorkshire base from Athena House at Clifton Moor, to Leeds.

He fears it could cost the police and the courts more money. The building was purpose-built to bring police and CPS together.

The CPS believes the distance between York and Leeds will not affect justice because prosecutors in magistrates’ courts in North Yorkshire now work from digital files and not paper files.

Mr Bayley said he will accept an invitation to see the computer-based system in action in York Magistrates Court and to discuss matters with Aileen Bloomer, chairman of the York and Selby Bench, and others.

He said: “The Crown Prosecution Service is cutting costs but it will be a false economy if it ends up costing the police and the courts more money. I am also worried that the public will get slower and poorer justice if the number of prosecutors is cut and if they move the remaining staff away from York. The Government needs to think again.”

Richard Burton, clerk to the justices in North Yorkshire, wrote to Mr Bayley and said: “With the introduction of the court digitalisation process, a relocation out of the county should not have any financial or procedural implications for the court.”

He said that magistrates did have initial reservations, but provided a fully instructed prosecutor was available to attend every court when it was sitting, the location of the prosecutor’s office was immaterial to the court’s working.

The court service has not made any formal representations to the CPS regarding the proposed move. The CPS is bound by contract to pay rent on its part of Athena House until February 2015.