More than £1million has been spent on work from home equipment by government departments that report to Attorney General Lord Hermer.
The Government Legal Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office have spent more than £1.24million in the last three years on computers, desks and other equipment to enable remote work.
Overall, agencies in eight departments have spent nearly £3million on similar equipment, despite ministers saying they want to see more people working in the office.
The figures were revealed in response to parliamentary questions from a Tory MP. TaxPayers’ Alliance spokesman Shimeon Lee urged ministers to ‘get a grip and put the public back at the heart of public service’.
He told The Sunday Telegraph: ‘Taxpayers will be dismayed to know that we are still investing in a work from home culture.
‘Remote working has become the norm in the public sector, with little regard for productivity, accountability or value for money.’
Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the spending ‘reflected an increased headcount to deliver additional remit for government priorities and steps to reduce its London office footprint to save money.’
Other work-from-home highrollers included the Health and Safety Executive, a public body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, which spent £955,099, and Ofgem, energy regulator in Labour’s Net Zero department, at £396,486.
Lord Hermer is a former barrister and a friend of Sir Keir Starmer. He was handed a peerage and was parachuted in to the high-profile role after the election.
Former barrister Lord Hermer was parachuted in to his position as Attorney General after the election
Lord Hermer is a friend of the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and was given a peerage after his election
But some Downing Street aides are reported to be pressing for his removal as part of an autumn relaunch.
He is said to be a key figure in the controversial deal to surrender the Chagos Islands, the decision to repeal laws protecting British veterans of the Northern Ireland Troubles from prosecution and the Government’s refusal to help defend Israel during the conflict with Iran.
Last month Lord Hermer rubbished claims of a ‘two-tier’ justice system in Britain as ‘disgusting’ and ‘wrong’. Such accusations arose following last summer’s riots after the Southport murders were policed more strongly and the early release of prisoners to tackle overcrowding.
Lord Hermer said: ‘What some people were seeking to do, bringing up “two-tier”, was to make a comparison with the way people were being treated for trying to kill police officers – and I want to reiterate that, kill police officers – with the response to protests on the streets of London. We don’t have a two-tiered justice system.’