An Opposition MP has called for the funding of Parliament and the Department of Public Prosecutions to be removed from under the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice.

Shadow Attorney General John Barritt said he felt both should have been treated in the budget estimates unveiled last week as independent, non-Ministry items in the same way as spending watchdog the Auditor General.

"The trend in other modern Commonwealth jurisdictions is to get the funding and the operation of Parliament away from, and out from under the thumb of the Executive branch of Government. In fact, it's more than just a trend, it is strongly recommended by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, of which Bermuda is a member," he said.

And he pointed to the Bermuda Constitution which says the Department and Director of Public Prosecutions should not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.

"This is meant to be so not just in fact but in appearance," said Mr. Barritt. "The Office and Department of Public Prosecutions should be addressed in the (budget) estimates like all other non-Ministry items like the Auditor General, and like the Legislature should also be treated."

With a debate on the budgeting arrangements scheduled to take place in the House of Assembly today, Mr. Barritt plans to raise these concerns, and also ask why the Ministry of Justice HQ budget has apparently doubled for 2007-8 compared to the previous year. Both the original and revised expenditure for 2006-07 was $614,000, but the figure given for the forthcoming year is $1,282,000.

This newspaper contacted Attorney General Phil Perinchief on Wednesday, February 21 to ask about the figures and forwarded Mr. Barritt's remarks about the makeup of the Department to both him and the Premier's Press Secretary Scott Simmons yesterday. No reply was forthcoming by press time.