§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to receive a report from Professor Goldstock giving recommendations for tackling the problem of organised crime in Northern Ireland. [83108]
§ Jane KennedyThe Secretary of State appointed Professor Goldstock in March 2002. He has been specifically asked to provide an international perspective on the problem of organised crime in Northern Ireland, to offer recommendations for tackling the problem and, in particular to formulate proposals for securing cross community support for action, drawing on his international experience.
Prof. Goldstock has provided the Secretary of State with a report of his preliminary findings on 15 September. He is expected to report to the Secretary of State in June 2003.
§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what agreement has been made with Professor Goldstock as to the number of days he is(a) required and (b) expected to spend working in his capacity as an adviser to the Secretary of State on organised crime. [83109]
§ Jane KennedyThe Secretary of State appointed Professor Goldstock, ex-director of the New York State Organised Crime Task Force, in March 2002 to act as his independent expert and to provide an international perspective on the problem of organised crime in Northern Ireland.
Professor Goldstock has been specifically asked to provide an international perspective on the problem of organised crime in Northern Ireland, to offer recommendations for tackling the problem and, in particular, to formulate proposals for securing cross community support for action, drawing on his international experience.
Professor Goldstock's appointment does not carry a stipulation on the amount of time he is expected or required to spend in his capacity as an adviser to the Secretary of State on organised crime. To date, Professor Goldstock has visited Northern Ireland on four occasions and has met with all the main stakeholders within the law enforcement agencies and Government. He has also met with representatives from the loyalist and nationalist communities.
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§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings of the Organised Crime Task Force in Northern Ireland have taken place since its formation. [83105]
§ Jane KennedyThe Organised Crime Task Force in Northern Ireland has met on 12 occasions since its formation in September 2000.
§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what priorities have been agreed by the law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland as a result of the establishment of the organised crime task force. [83107]
§ Jane KennedyOn 23 May 2002, the Secretary of State launched the second annual organised crime task force threat assessment and strategy. The OCTF threat assessment provides an overview of the scale and scope of organised crime in Northern Ireland and highlights trends and developments in the preceding year.
Based on the issues highlighted in the new threat assessment, the OCTF's strategy for countering the threat sets priority areas for concerted multi-agency action by the OCTF partners. These are extortion, drugs, oils-related fraud, tobacco and alcohol duty evasion. To this list we have also added the trade in counterfeit goods, as this has an on-going potential to affect investment in Northern Ireland; and armed robbery which is on the increase here.
During the year the OCTF, which I chair, will also keep a watching brief on emerging and new organised crime trends.
§ Mr. DonaldsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Officers are engaged full-time as investigators with the Organised Crime Taskforce. [85887]
§ Jane KennedyThe Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF), is a Government-led multi-agency approach to tackling organised crime. The OCTF is established to provide strategic direction and generate close co-operation between the operational law enforcement agencies and other Government agencies backed up by a strong political will to succeed.
The OCTF does not initiate operations. Operational response is a matter for the individual law enforcement agencies that take the lead in tackling, the strategic priorities agreed annually by the OCTF. There are no Police Officers engaged full-time as investigators with The OCTF.
The PSNI have established an Organised Crime Co-ordination Unit headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent to co-ordinate the work of the PSNI in combating organised crime.