The Memorandum estimates that creating the new offence will lead to an increase in the reporting of domestic abuse cases of between 2% and 10%. Taking 6% as the median, its best estimate is that increased costs on the COPFS and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service will be just over £2.5 million per annum.iiFinancial Memorandum, paragraph 44 In estimating costs to the police a number of variables are considered to apply: the best estimate in terms of police called to deal with the offence is around £720,000 per annum.iiiFinancial Memorandum, paragraph 55
Using the same estimate, costs on the Scottish Prison Service are estimated at just under £1.1 million per annum.ivFinancial Memorandum, paragraphs 47-52 This is based on an assumption that the same general pattern of disposals occurring in current domestic abuse cases (many of which, the Committee assumes, would be cases involving violence) is followed in relation to disposals under the new offence.