§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive a report from the working group set up to review the provisions on the confiscation of drug traffickers' assets.
§ Mr. John PattenI am pleased to announce that the working group has now completed its consideration of the provisions of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986. Its report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, was published today. It contains a number of important proposals designed to make it easier for the courts to apply the confiscation provisions and to enforce confiscation orders once they are made. In view of the innovatory nature of some of these proposals, it is important that we should give the public and key interest groups an opportunity to comment on what has been proposed. We shall therefore welcome comments on any of the issues raised. In the light of responses to the document, which we are seeking by 12 June, we shall consider what legislative measures need to be taken to strengthen the existing procedures.
The working group is now examining the parallel confiscation provisions contained in part VI of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.