800 jobs to go at forensic service

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Prospect said it was "shocked" at the scale of the cuts, which it said were up to 40% of the total number employed by the organisation.

Forensic scientists, managers and computer staff are among those set to lose their jobs under a "radical transformation plan", with possible site closures, said the union.

Prospect said it feared the cuts, planned over the next two years, were "softening up" the FSS for a sell-off.

General secretary Paul Noon said: "We will be scrutinising where these job losses fall to ensure this is not just an exercise to reduce the headcount, leaving FSS denuded of the skills it needs."

Prospect negotiator Mike Sparham said: "Staff are shocked at the scale of the redundancies and the union is now seeking to minimise the cuts and ensure they are undertaken on a voluntary basis."

The union said it had been told that all terms and conditions of employment were going to be looked at, including pensions.

Mr Sparham said: "We are willing to negotiate on any proposals but we will resist any attempt to impose significantly worse terms and conditions of employment on the staff remaining in the FSS. The recession should not be used cynically by the company to cut costs simply to make it more attractive to any future buyer."

The FSS analyses evidence from crime scenes on behalf of police forces in England and Wales, dealing with more than 120,000 cases each year.