Fraud Office funding is defended

The funding was 'anticipated and agreed,' Baroness Scotland said

The Attorney General's office has said additional £10m funding granted to the Serious Fraud Office was "anticipated".

The department had been accused of letting its budgets slide "out of control" after requesting an extra £15m funding from the government.

It is the second time in two months that the organisation has asked for more money from ministers.

Attorney General Baroness Scotland said £10m was being given to meet "urgent" spending needs at the SFO.

She said in a statement: "Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £15.45 million will be sought in the Spring Supplementary Estimate for the Serious Fraud Office.

"Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £10 million will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund."

'Out of control'

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Howarth said: "This is the second time in as many months that the SFO has had to go cap in hand to the government.

"It seems clear that its spending, like that of the Ministry of Justice, is out of control.

"Given its failure to investigate the most serious cases of international corruption, such as the BAE Systems bribery scandal, one has to ask exactly where this money is going.

"Government departments charged with the implementation of justice are consistently over-spending but failing to deliver."

A spokesman for the Attorney General's office said: "The Serious Fraud Office is funded in a different way to most government departments.

"It receives additional funding annually to pursue large-scale fraud cases.

"This additional funding is the anticipated and agreed amount for this financial year."