Publication: Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up: Audit scope

This audit is a follow-up to our 2023 Criminal Courts Backlog performance audit which assessed how effectively the Scottish Government, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and partners responded to the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to the criminal courts. The report concluded that significant progress had been made in reducing the backlog of cases, but that there were still several challenges facing the criminal courts system.

This audit will assess the progress made against the recommendations made in the 2023 report. It will also include an update on the current and projected levels of criminal court backlogs, and follow-up on the risks identified in the previous audit and identify any new risks and opportunities facing the criminal courts system. The findings will be published on our website in May 2026.