'Criminals will be the only winners' under plan to axe police forensic labs

If justice secretary Kenny MacAskill approves the plans, it will ultimately leave Scotland with two only labs - in Dundee and at Gartcosh in Lanarkshire.

Scottish police face cuts of up to 25 per cent over four years and will find out the extent of savings needed after the UK government's spending review next month and the Scottish Government's response in November.

However, both Lothian and Borders and Grampian police boards are firmly opposed to the plans to axe forensic labs, believing they will not achieve the savings hoped for and will make it very difficult for police to pursue offenders.

Martin Greig, convener of the Grampian Joint Police Board, said: "This is very gloomy and unwelcome. It's a ministerial decision in the end, so I hope that does not happen. There's a cross-party campaign to retain the Aberdeen lab and that will continue until the minister makes his decision.

"The only people who would win from this will be the criminals. The police service and community safety of the North-east and the north would be extremely seriously damaged. Evidence will lose its value because of the time it takes to export."

Mr Greig has voted against the continuing review of Scotland's eight police forces with a view to centralising them to create either three or one. He was backed by Norman MacLeod, convener of the Northern Joint Police Board, but they were outvoted at the Scottish Policing Board.

There are growing fears that the north would suffer as a result of centralisation, with control over decisions affecting them going to the Central Belt.

Mr Greig said: "Once again, we will be second best and it will be clear that the safety of people in the North-east is not a prime consideration."

Nicol Stephen, MSP for Aberdeen South, said: "I'm fighting to ensure we have a fully functioning lab, with the full range of scientific experts.

"I am determined not to leave Aberdeen with a few technical assistants, with evidence sent to Dundee or Gartcosh in the Central Belt."

Under the cutback plan, the two remaining labs would be supported by eight scene examination units - one in each force area - and possibly four smaller satellite labs, depending on what the SPSA, and ultimately Mr Mac-Askill, decide.

However, that will not appease the doubters.Marilyne MacLaren, a member of the Lothian and Borders Police Board, said: "If we are restricted to two labs, there's a real concern that less serious crimes would face a long time to get resolved.

"They don't seem to have factored in the time and costs of taking documents back and forth to Gartcosh and Dundee. I got unanimous support from the police board when I put forward a motion that our laboratory should not be closed down."

An SPSA spokeswoman said: "The SPSA Board met on 13 September to discuss the view and response to the engagement SPSA carried out over the summer for the modernisation of forensic services.

"The board have agreed a recommendation on the preferred way forward which will be sent to the Scottish Government within the next week. It will then be for the Scottish Government to consider the recommendation before any announcement is made."