§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current United Kingdom legislation relating to powers to confiscate terrorist funds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe financial provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 have given the police further means of obtaining information in the course of their investigations into terrorist crimes. The complexity of such investigations is such that none has yet reached the stage at which charges may be brought, at which point the powers of restraint and forfeiture may be used. Nevertheless, I understand that the police believe that the provisions have already proved valuable in providing documentary evidence of how funds are channelled, and in opening further lines of investigation.