Jobs at risk in lab closure plans

Three laboratories, including one in Chepstow, would close

The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has confirmed it plans to close a laboratory in south Wales with the loss of nearly 170 jobs.

The laboratory in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, is used for analysing evidence from crime scenes.

The FSS, which plans to close a total of three labs, said it was responding to the needs of police customers.

The Prospect union has described the proposals as a body blow that would cripple the service.

In a statement, the FSS said it wanted to "increase efficiency and reshape the business to meet the challenges of the emerging forensic marketplace".

These plans are tantamount to inflicting grievous bodily harm on the UK criminal justice system

Mike Sparham, Prospect union

"The proposed new national structure will revolve around crime type instead of the more traditional division, where sites operated independently, by geographical region," it said.

"Newly-designed work streams will instead now bring together scientists whose skills lie in a particular discipline, to directly target the requirements of police forces across England and Wales."

The new structure would be split into five areas: drugs, DNA (taken from crime scenes and suspect samples), sexual offences, violent crime and volume crime.

The service, which deals with more than 120,000 cases a year, has seven laboratories in the UK.

The three to close would be Chepstow, Chorley in Lancashire and one in Birmingham.

Skilled jobs

Mike Sparham of the Prospect union said: "Rather than support the service at a time when experts expect criminal activity to increase because of the economic climate, these plans are tantamount to inflicting grievous bodily harm on the UK criminal justice system.

"The closures will result in the lack of any public service forensic science provider west of Birmingham and the loss of the only laboratory in Wales.

"A reduced workforce will have to try to maintain the same high levels of service but with an even thinner geographical presence.

"Not only will the closures result in the loss of skilled jobs in these areas, but the continued demand for expert witnesses in criminal proceedings will require the remaining workforce to spend more time travelling to meet these obligations."

The FSS said if the proposal was accepted, staff would be offered opportunities elsewhere.