HC Deb 24 March 2004 vol 419 c870W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 899W, on criminal assets, what proportion of (a) cash seizures, (b) confiscation orders, (c) restraint orders and (d) freezing orders made to date were related to drug offences; what proportion of the money which has been successfully recovered to date has been allocated to (A) crime reduction projects and (B) central Treasury funds; and how he plans to allocate amounts seized in future. [161791]

Caroline Flint

The information in relation to cash seizures is not available. I understand from the Crown Prosecution Service that 85 per cent. of confiscation orders and 44 per cent. of restraint orders made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 related to drug offences. I understand from the Assets Recovery Agency that 57 per cent. of the freezing orders related to drug offences.

All receipts from recovered assets are allocated to a range of initiatives in the asset recovery field. A new police incentivisation scheme will be introduced in 2004–05 that will enable police forces to receive a share of the criminal assets that are recovered locally. Police forces will benefit by receiving a third of all the recovered assets above £40 million in 2004–05, increasing to a half for 2005–06. The maximum benefit available to the police will be £43 million in 2004–05 rising to £65 million in 2005–06. The Government will be using the first £40 million to help fund existing commitments in the asset recovery field.