First elected: 7th June 2001
Left House: 6th November 2019 (Standing Down)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Impose Financial sanctions on the State of Myanmar (Burma).
Gov Responded - 4 Oct 2017 Debated on - 16 Apr 2018 View Mark Field's petition debate contributionsImpose harsh financial sanctions on the State of Myanmar due to the current ongoing ethnic cleansing being pursued by elements of its security forces.
Stop The Genocide In Myanmar - UK Government Please Help!
Debated on - 16 Apr 2018 View Mark Field's petition debate contributionsHundreds have been forced to flee their villages as the emergency situation in Myanmar has worsened. Urgent needs of displaced people include water, hygiene facilities, food & shelter.
These initiatives were driven by Mark Field, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Mark Field has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Mark Field has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Mark Field has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Notification of Local Authorities) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
During 2014-2015 the CPS prosecuted 187 defendants for offences connected with human trafficking. 130 of these defendants were convicted at a conviction rate of 69.5%.
Ensuring high quality of service and choice are priority areas for Ofcom. While Ofcom cannot compel providers to invest in particular areas, it has taken a number of steps to ensure that the regulatory regime supports competition and commercial rollout.
In 2010, Ofcom introduced requirements to allow competing providers to use infrastructure from Openreach, the wholesale provider which manages BT’s telecoms network, to deliver superfast services. Ofcom has been reviewing competition in the wholesale broadband market over the past year. In addition, it is also undertaking a review of business connectivity, which is looking at how well competition is working in the provision of dedicated connections known as leased lines.
In addition, in auctioning the spectrum suitable for 4G mobile broadband services, Ofcom put in place requirements to ensure spectrum was reserved for a fourth competitor. Alternative providers are now offering superfast services using 4G mobile broadband and a combination of wireless technologies in London.
Finally, Ofcom has granted an extension to a wireless spectrum licence held by UK Broadband Ltd. The company intends to deploy a national wireless broadband network focusing on major urban areas and reaching an estimated 45% of the UK’s population. It has already rolled out fixed wireless services to parts of London.
The Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) was ready for use in advance of the last withdrawal date of 12 April. Since then, work on IPAFFS has continued to further develop and stabilise the system, improving the user experience and increasing functionalities for imports from countries outside the EU.
IPAFFS is currently available for businesses to register and begin familiarising themselves with the system. Businesses importing goods from outside the EU are able to use the system from Day 1. IPAFFS replicates the same functionality as the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) currently used by importers to notify authorities about imports of animal products, high-risk food and feed from non-EU countries.
For an interim period, businesses importing goods from the EU will follow a separate process whilst this functionality is built into IPAFFS.
As part of our programme’s nationwide business readiness activities we have been engaging with businesses, stakeholders and users of IPAFFS (including Port Health Authorities) to ensure they can familiarise themselves with the system ahead of 31 October.
The current IPAFFS contingency process is mostly unchanged from the one proposed for the previous departure date in March and follows a similar process to that used by TRACES if it were to stop working today. The National Clearance Hub has accepted the contingency as workable.
The process for importing feed and food from the EU to the UK will not change after Brexit. There will be no additional controls or checks. Full guidance has been published on Gov.uk and this includes new arrangements for the notification only of certain imports.
Options for a new, long term imports regime for animals and animal products are under consideration. The sanitary and phytosanitary conditions for trade between the UK and the EU will also be a matter for negotiation as part of our Future Relationship with the EU.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The Government has strong plans in place to manage issues or risks arising from the import or export of animals and agri-food products. This includes managing the risk of high risk journeys, measures to safeguard welfare and processes required if animals or goods are rejected at EU borders.
If the UK is listed and the exported animals meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production and trade between the Member States and consignments are in compliance with the relevant Official Controls Regulation (OCR) and associated tertiary legislation, then in principle those animals should not be refused entry.
Where the consignments are not in compliance with the relevant requirements and present a risk to animal and human health, the OCR and tertiary legislation provide for a range of measures ranging from quarantine (pending further decision of the competent authorities at Border Control Posts), destruction of consignments, special treatment and re-despatch. The regime for these measures is essentially the same as the one provided under Regulation 882/2004.
UK goods, including live animals that are exported to the EU in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and rejected at an EU Border Control Post can travel back to the UK on the same documents issued for their journey. The consignment will need pre-notification to the UK of its return, but will be able to return to the UK via any port of entry and will not be subject to routine veterinary checks at the port of entry.
Transporters of animals have a legal duty to protect the welfare of their animals and should only plan journeys if they are sure that the journey is viable and compliant with welfare requirements, for instance on maximum journey times.
They will need to check that all certification is in place and all EU import conditions are met to minimise the likelihood of being returned.
i) Ungulates, Equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets
The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow exports of live animals and animal products to the European Commission in January 2019.
The UK continues to undertake constructive engagement with the European Commission on third country listing, and has already provided the necessary assurances requested by the European Commission in order for the relevant Committee to consider listing the UK as a third country for exports of live animals and animal products. This would ensure that exports of ungulates (hoofed animals), equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets to the EU would continue in a no deal.
The relevant Committee meeting to vote on our listed status is expected to be scheduled and meet ahead of exit date.
ii) Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets
Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets is covered by the EU Pet Travel Scheme which has 3 categorisations of third country: unlisted, Part 1 listed and Part 2 listed.
Third countries can apply to the European Commission to be listed under the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations to the European Commission in January 2019. It is for the Commission to consider our application for listed status. The UK is likely to be treated as an unlisted country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme if it leaves without a deal.
The Department for Transport has put in place £30M of funding for ports, Local Resilience Forums, and road & rail links.
Financial support is provided for sixteen ports across England who will receive a share of funding to help their preparations for Brexit on 31 October and beyond. The successful bidders of the £10m Port Infrastructure Resilience and Connectivity (PIRC) competition offers ports up to £1m each to deliver important infrastructure upgrades to help keep traffic and trade flowing smoothly across the border.
The fund PIRC is part of a wider £30m government package to support ports across England to operate efficiently post-Brexit. DfT is providing up to £5m to four Local Resilience Forums (LRF) outside Kent with the highest volumes of accompanied road freight traffic with EU ports. A further £15m will go towards the development of longer-term projects to boost road and rail links to ports.
Arrangements and support for Port Health and border operations are a matter for the responsible Government Departments.
The Department for Transport has received representations from a number of businesses located in the West End of London who are concerned about the impacts of pedicabs on their customers, mainly in respect of congestion and anti-social behaviour. We are working with Transport for London to develop legislation to allow the Mayor of London to regulate the pedicab trade.
Ministers and officials have regular meetings with representatives of Transport for London at which various subjects are discussed, including pedicabs. The Department has been working closely with Transport for London on proposals for legislation to enable the Mayor of London to regulate the pedicab trade.
The need for urgent action on pedicabs was discussed at the Secretary of State’s meeting with the Mayor on 13 June, and at Lord Ahmad’s meeting with the Deputy Mayor for Transport on 16 June. Officials from the Department for Transport have had regular meetings with their opposite numbers in Transport for London to ensure that TfL are ready to respond as soon as the necessary primary legislation is enacted.
Ministers and officials from my Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government hold regular discussions about a number of issues. These include local welfare provision and my department’s review.
The Department is working with Public Health England (PHE), NHS England and NHS Improvement and other stakeholders to deliver a comprehensive vaccine and immunisation strategy this autumn. The strategy will set out a clear vision for maintaining and developing England’s world-leading immunisation programme over the next 10 years and beyond.
Actions planned or underway to increase the uptake of childhood vaccination include:
- Strengthening the role of local immunisation coordinators – healthcare professionals that promote vaccine uptake, particularly in under-served groups, by supporting areas with low uptake and tailoring specific local interventions to under-vaccinated communities;
- Updating NHS.uk to ensure availability of National Health Service-approved, evidence-based and trusted advice on vaccines; and
- A review of general practitioner vaccinations and immunisation standards, funding, and procurement to incentivise improved immunisation coverage.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Third country high-risk food and feed consignments transiting the European Union destined for the United Kingdom will need to enter the UK at ports with the required facilities, such as Border Inspection Posts (BIP) and Designated Points of Entry (DPE) to undertake required controls. Following detailed analysis to determine the possible number of such transits, there is sufficient existing capacity at UK ports with those facilities to undertake all relevant import controls.
The importation of high-risk feed and foods that are not pre-notified to a port with a BIP or DPE or enter a port without a BIP or DPE are illegal imports and as such are subject to Border Force control.
The information requested is in the table below. NHS England publishes monthly data on critical care bed capacity, including the number of paediatric intensive care beds. The data reports the numbers of beds that are open, as a snapshot, at midnight on the last Thursday of the month.
Number of paediatric intensive care beds in central London and the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust open on the last Thursday of the reporting period, September 2016
Organisation | Number of Paediatric intensive care beds |
Central London of which: | 102 |
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust | 24 |
Source: Critical care bed capacity and urgent operations cancelled, NHS England
Congenital heart disease services are paid for through tariff. Therefore, if NHS England proposals were to be implemented, and this resulted in changes to the flow of patients, funding for treatment would follow the patients.
NHS England is working with providers to seek assurances of their ability to accept additional patients if required to do so. This includes considering the effect of the potential changes on staff and to understand the cost implications of the changes which it is proposing.
This Government believes that it is unacceptable for lawyers to incur costs that are far higher than the amount of any compensation awarded to the patient and want costs to be proportionate. High legal costs in clinical negligence cases divert money away from patient care in the National Health Service. This is why we have recently announced that we will be launching a formal consultation in the autumn with the goal of establishing an appropriate level of fixed costs for lower value clinical negligence claims.
HMRC’s staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices are trained to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed under the Accelerated Payments regime. Where necessary, for example if they are dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices to be issued in a specialist area of the tax code such as Stamp Duty Loan Trusts, staff also receive bespoke technical training in that area.
A Tax Information and Impact Notice (TIIN) published on 9 March 2014 set out the summary of potential impacts of Accelerated payments including impact on business.
The TIIN noted that Accelerated Payments will have no impact on business undertaking normal commercial transactions. Small and micro businesses will only be affected if they participate in tax avoidance. The TIIN also indicated that the measure would be monitored and evaluated.
The TIIN is available www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293934/TIIN_5133_7040_and_9029_accelerated_payments_of_tax_DOTAS_GAAR.pdf.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ensures that all staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices have received appropriate training in the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed on receipt of representations made on accelerated payment notices that have been issued. A separate, specialised and trained team is responsible for dealing with representations received on these notices.
As part of its normal reporting of compliance and operational information, HMRC will include information on Accelerated Payments Notices in its Annual Report.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ensures that all staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices have received appropriate training in the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed on receipt of representations made on accelerated payment notices that have been issued. A separate, specialised and trained team is responsible for dealing with representations received on these notices.
As part of its normal reporting of compliance and operational information, HMRC will include information on Accelerated Payments Notices in its Annual Report.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) writes to individuals some weeks before issuing an Accelerated Payment notice, letting them know that one is on its way. The most important thing for anyone who thinks they might have genuine difficulty in paying the amounts due under an Accelerated Payment notice is to contact HMRC to discuss possible alternative payment arrangements.
In cases of genuine hardship, HMRC will consider time to pay. The priority in cases of genuine hardship will be to get people on to a payment track so that the debt is paid as quickly as possible. HMRC has put in place standard guidelines for staff dealing with these requests and these are carefully monitored.
HMRC will always ensure that its action is proportionate and that it is realistic that any agreed payment tracks will result in the liability being paid.
HMRC does not calculate the cost of individual tax evasion cases. The majority of such cases are dealt with using cost-effective civil settlement procedures. HMRC also has the power to investigate criminally those that seek to defraud the Exchequer, and it publishes its policy around when it will use this power.
HMRC is not a prosecuting authority. Where cases do proceed to the criminal courts the prosecution is carried out by the relevant independent prosecuting authority. This is the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in Scotland, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI).
Details of the total number of individuals convicted for tax offences are set out in the following table. These include offences in relation to both direct and indirect tax, excise duties and tax credits.
Convictions for tax offences | |
2010/11 | 280 |
2011/12 | 401 |
2012/13 | 522 |
2013/14 | 682 |
HMRC does not calculate how much has been recovered following successful prosecution. Individual cases are passed back for recovery action of tax evaded to compliance and debt teams. Additionally, fines, compensation orders and confiscation orders may in relevant circumstances be imposed by the courts. No central record is kept of all monies subsequently recovered in relation to specific convictions and therefore this information would be available only through manual intervention at disproportionate cost.
Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available.
All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available.
The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service.
Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available.
All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available.
The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service.
Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available.
All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available.
The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service.
Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available.
All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available.
The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service.
The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group (IDMG) on Modern Slavery met twice in each of the years 2013, 2014 and 2015.
In addition to these formal meetings of the IDMG group, on 17 October 2014 the Prime Minister, The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, also chaired a roundtable IDMG event as part of a programme of activity to mark the 2014 anti-slavery day.
This group fulfils the role of the UK’s national rapporteur equivalent mechanism, as set out in Article 19 of the EU directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, by carrying out assessments of trends in trafficking, gathering statistics, measuring the results of anti-trafficking actions, and regularly reporting on the above.
IDMG reports are available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/modern-slavery-inter-departmental-ministerial-group-publications. The most recent report was published on 21 October 2015.
Each report includes a list of all current members of the IDMG. Ministers from relevant Government departments are invited to attend meetings. Where they are unable to attend, they are asked to delegate attendance to senior officials.
Increasing awareness of modern slavery is vital. As part of a wider programme of events being run by Non-Governmental Organisations, the Home Secretary attended the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Anti-Slavery Day Media Awards on 15 October, where she presented awards to recognise awareness-raising work by the media and voluntary sector. The Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation on the same day attended an awareness-raising event at a London school.
This month we will commence Modern Slavery Act provisions to strengthen protections and support for victims. This includes a presumption about age provision to ensure that potential child victims receive specialist support without delay; updated guidance on identifying and supporting victims; and protections for Overseas Domestic Workers who are identified as victims of modern slavery. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the relevant regulations, we also intend to implement the new transparency in supply chains duty for major businesses to disclose what steps they have taken to ensure that their business and supply chains are slavery-free and to publish guidance to help business comply. On 1 November we will bring into effect a statutory duty for specified public bodies to notify the Home Office of any victims of modern slavery that they encounter, which will help to shine a light on this hidden crime. The Government will also publish its annual report on the scale and nature of modern slavery and the UK’s response to it, and the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s first ever strategic plan will be laid before Parliament.
The Home Office does not hold this data. The Metropolitan Police Human Trafficking helpline is owned by the Metropolitan Police and is independent of the Home Office.
The NSPCC is contracted by the Home Office to deliver a helpline that enables potential victims of modern slavery to access support services and advice. Between 31 July 2014 and 30 June 2015, 1,220 potential victims were identified by the helpline. 1,060 adult potential victims were identified and referred to the local police force; the Home Office does not hold information on the activity following this referral. 160 potential child victims were identified and were referred though the helpline to the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre. Each child referral is allocated to a social worker in the team to ensure each child is referred to Children’s Services and other relevant agencies, and that follow up advice is given. The Home Office funding for the contract is £50,000.
The consolidated slavery and trafficking offences set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 will come into force on 31 July 2015. Information held by Ministry of Justice does not allow us to breakdown convictions by the offender’s country of origin. The Ministry of Justice publishes data on all offences, including human trafficking and slavery, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014. To access the specific information requested, open the table ‘Outcomes by offence’.
Across 2017/18 and 2018/19, my Department has made available £77 million to help local areas prepare for Brexit. This includes £60 million that has been distributed between all local authorities in England, including £314,952 to the City of London, and £3.14 million that was allocated to nineteen councils in March 2019 to increase capacity to plan for and accommodate changes in and around ports of entry. In August 2019 £5.01 million was announced to further support councils which either have, or are near to, a major air, land or sea port to ensure they continue to operate efficiently (£2.61 million to councils in Kent and £2.4 million to councils outside of Kent), and £4 million was allocated to Local Resilience Forums to support them with their core administration costs for preparing, testing, assuring and delivering plans for supporting the delivery of Brexit. This funding is for councils and Local Resilience Forums to boost their capacity and help them put in place measures that will protect the services that residents, communities and businesses rely upon.
Permitted development rights for change of use from offices to residential were introduced for a period of three years from 30 May 2013 to 30 May 2016. These rights are contributing to a more efficient use of our existing building stock, and are providing badly needed new homes such as studios and one-bedroom flats for young people. Exemptions to this permitted development right were granted in exceptional circumstances, where local authorities could demonstrate a negative economic impact.
We are considering responses to the Technical consultation on planning which included a proposal to extend the permitted development right for change of use from offices to residential.
We recognise the strategic value of office space to the broader London and national economy in the current exempted zones.
The Department has not made any assessment of the performance of local welfare assistance schemes which are administered by local authorities. The Department for Work and Pensions published a wide ranging review into existing local welfare provision on 5 November.
The Government received more than 5,000 responses to the consultation which are being considered alongside the review by the Department for Work and Pensions into existing provision. The Government will make a decision based on this analysis in time for the provisional local government finance settlement in December 2014.
Statistics for prosecutions and convictions for 2015, including those for offences defined as human trafficking, are planned for publication in May 2016.
Overall court proceedings data for offences defined as human trafficking in England and Wales from 2004 to 2014 are published here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority cannot provide data on the compensation it has awarded to victims of a particular crime type. This is because it awards compensation in line with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme tariff of injuries rather than the type of incident that led to those injuries.
The table below shows the total number of confiscation orders and their values made against defendants where the principal offence is categorised as People Trafficking.
The figures provided are for the financial years (April to March) and are based on the original order amount imposed, and therefore some of these orders may have been subject to subsequent appeals and/or variations.
People Trafficking | No. of orders made | Original order amount | Awarded as compensation |
2012 – 2013 | 14 | £457,722.18 |
£68,669.51
|
2013 – 2014 | 22 | £593,415.43 |
£2,542.44
|
2014 – 2015 | 18 | £1,113,038.77 |
£351,838.07
|
Confiscation orders are one of the key mechanisms available to the Government to deprive criminals of the proceeds of their crimes. The value of the order imposed, which is often very high, is based on the criminal benefit attributed to the crime and may, therefore, exceed the value of realisable assets that are known to the Court at the time of imposition. Crucially, an outstanding order stops the criminal benefitting from the proceeds of crime and ensures that, if the assets are discovered in the future, they can be seized.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other enforcement agencies take the issue of recovering criminal assets very seriously and are working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide.
The amount defendants repaid from their criminal activity across all agencies has increased for the last six consecutive years and we are currently on course to have another highly effective year. £154.1million was collected in 2014/15 (which represented a 12% increase on the total recovered during 2013/14); as at the end of June 2015, £53 million had been recovered, which is an increase of 47% on the same period last year. After payment of compensation and external receiver’s fees, the balance is distributed across key Departments to support ongoing investigation, prosecution and enforcement activity.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 amends the scope of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to include slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. The Act also introduces Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders which can be used to award compensation to victims.
HMCTS is seeking a commercial partner to help increase collections, reduce enforcement costs and importantly, ensure more criminals pay. The improvement that the Agencies continue to make, combined with our future plans, will make sure that more criminals pay and that taxpayers get better value for money.