The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Keir Starmer said, “The scheme was developed in close co-operation with the Bar Council, and was run with the assistance of many members of the independent Bar itself. We are grateful for their support, and for the positive feedback we have received on the thoroughness, fairness and transparency with which the scheme was conducted. We are also grateful to the Law Society and their broad support of these proposals on behalf of solicitor advocates.”

Any applicants who are not successful have the right to appeal that decision. Those advocates who are currently representing the CPS in ongoing cases and have not been successful in obtaining a place on an Advocate Panel will continue to represent the CPS until their cases come to an end.

The full Panel list has now been published on the CPS website. It is expected that the Panels will be operational from 1 February.