Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 125, 29^th July 2002

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

Parliament is in recess.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

ROYAL ASSENT FOR PROCEEDS OF CRIME ACT
The Proceeds of Crime Act, which provides new powers for both the police and the courts to seize and confiscate the profits made by criminals from drug dealing and other criminal activities, has received Royal Assent.

In recent years confiscation orders imposed by Scottish courts have amounted to less than £1 million each year.

The aim of the Act is to significantly increase that amount. The Executive has identified drug related projects as a priority for re-investing this money.

The Proceeds of Crime Act will:

• Enhance the powers of criminal confiscation following conviction by aligning the existing separate schemes for drug trafficking and for other crimes onto an all crimes basis and by strengthening the investigatory and enforcement powers;
• Introduce new powers of civil recovery to claim for the state the proceeds of criminal activity in cases where it is not possible to prosecute or secure a criminal conviction;
• Strengthen existing money laundering powers by removing the current distinction between terrorism, drugs and other crimes and imposing tougher disclosure requirements on third parties such as financial institutions; and
• Introduce new arrangements to enable tax to be levied on income suspected to be derived from criminal activity.

Under the Act, responsibility for criminal confiscation in Scotland remains with the Lord Advocate, while the Scottish Ministers will pursue civil recovery where it is not possible to prosecute or secure a criminal conviction.

The courts will be able to restrain a suspect’s assets at the start of a criminal investigation. At present restraint is only available when the suspect is about to be charged, by which time the assets have often disappeared. Where the court finds that a convicted person has a criminal lifestyle, it would assume that all his assets are derived from crime and confiscate them.

Full Story

SECOND SPONSOR FOR EURO 2008 BID
Diageo, the international drinks firm, has become the second major sponsor to announce its backing for the Scotland-Ireland bid to host the Euro 2008 championship.

The company, which makes both Scotch whisky and Guinness, will provide a six figure sum to help the bid team convince the tournament organisers.

Sport Minister, Mike Watson, said: "The company has a strong association with both Scotland and Ireland and this partnership has a great synergy."

Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said: "The full support of the private sector is a strong element of the bid and we are delighted Diageo have committed their support to our bid."

British Telecom are the other major sponsor for Scotland and Ireland.

Rival bids have been received from Austria and Switzerland, Greece and Turkey, and Bosnia and Croatia. Russia and Hungary have submitted sole bids. The four Scandanavaina countries - Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland - are also competing.

A short list will be drawn up in September and a final decision taken in December.

Euro 2008 Bid Website
Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

Parliament is in recess. 

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