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| Forensic Science Service to be wound up | Forensic Science Service to be wound up |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The government-owned Forensic Science Service, which employs 1,600 people, is to be wound up. | The government-owned Forensic Science Service, which employs 1,600 people, is to be wound up. |
| Crime Reduction Minister James Brokenshire said it had been losing about £2m a month and was due to run out of money in January. | Crime Reduction Minister James Brokenshire said it had been losing about £2m a month and was due to run out of money in January. |
| The FSS is the largest provider of crime scene evidence for police forces in England and Wales. | The FSS is the largest provider of crime scene evidence for police forces in England and Wales. |
| It played a key role in the arrest of serial killer Steve Wright and in the case of missing girl Shannon Matthews. | It played a key role in the arrest of serial killer Steve Wright and in the case of missing girl Shannon Matthews. |
| Mr Brokenshire said it would be gradually broken up, closing completely by March 2012. | |
| In a statement, the FSS said spending cuts meant police forces had less money for forensics consultancy and were increasingly taking such work in-house. | |
| It said it had raised such concerns to the Home Office and was "disappointed" that they had not been addressed before the winding-up decision was made. | |
| Mr Brokenshire said it was vital for the government to take "clear and decisive action" to sort out the FSS after it got into "serious financial difficulty". | |
| Toxicology | |
| In a written statement to MPs, he continued: "The police have advised us that their spend on external forensic suppliers will continue to fall over the next few years as forces seek to maximise efficiencies in this area. | |
| "We have therefore decided to support the wind down of the FSS, transferring or selling off as much of its operations as possible." | |
| DNA evidence gathered by the FSS led to the arrest of Ipswich murderer Wright within days of the discovery of his fifth victim. | |
| The company also provided toxicology evidence against Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan which helped ensure their conviction for kidnapping and drugging schoolgirl Shannon. |