Scotland’s Justice Secretary has been accused of “playing Scrooge” over plans to move jury trials out of Dumfries and Galloway.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is to move trials from Dumfries and Stranraer to Ayrshire in the new year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The service claims it is necessary as there is a backlog of cases with it costing £40,000 to make one of the region’s courts Covid-safe if there was a jury trial.
But the move has not gone down well with Tory MSP Finlay Carson, who is concerned the temporary move may become permanent.
And he has quizzed Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf on the matter at Holyrood.
The Galloway and West Dumfries representative said: “We are all aware that normally we would be in the midst of the pantomime season, so I would like to ask the justice secretary why he is playing Scrooge and refusing to release the estimated £40,000 that would allow jury trials to be staged in Stranraer, instead of forcing lawyers to travel to Ayr which is in a higher Covid level area thereby potentially putting their health and those of other constituents in Dumfries and Galloway at risk?
“Will the cabinet secretary agree to review those worrying plans? If trials do move to Ayr, can he make the commitment right now that jury trials will return to Dumfries and Stranraer as soon as possible when it is safe to do so?”
Mr Yousaf suggested Mr Carson “might want to be careful” about his language, saying it was “extraordinarily unfortunate” he had effectively described the Lord President and the court service as Scrooge.
He added: “If we were to use the solution that the member suggests for Dumfries, we would have to consider it for other courts right across the country.
“If it was a matter of £40,000, of course the government would provide it; that would not be an issue. However, there are broader issues we would have to explore in that particular case.
“The position will remain under review, as the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service has told me, and I will continue to engage with the service as the member is also welcome to do.
“He should, however, have the good grace to acknowledge that we have put in place an innovative solution that will help us to reduce the backlog in the long term.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council will also be writing to Mr Yousaf seeking reassurances on the back of a motion from Stewartry councillors Jane Maitland and Iain Howie at Thursday’s full council meeting.
