§ Baroness Goudieasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will appoint the first director of the assets recovery agency, established under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. [HL6367]
§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton:We have appointed Jane Earl as director-designate of the assets recovery agency. We expect that she will take up her appointment as director in the New Year, in time for the agency to start operations next February.
§ Baroness Goudieasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many bids were submitted for funding in the second round of the recovered assets fund; how many of these were recommended for funding; how the selection of bids was made and when the next round of bidding will begin. [HL6368]
§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton:A total of 330 bids were received in round two (compared to 130 in round one) 89WA of which 27 (21 in round one) with a total cost of £11.5 million (£.3 million in round one) were recommended for funding.
The bids selected for an award of grant were those which were assessed as best able to meet the objectives of the fund and as far as possible ensured coverage of a wide geographical area.
We are currently reviewing the future use and operation of the fund. Future bidding rounds will be dependent on the outcome of the review on which we hope to make an announcement before the end of the year.