Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Criminal Finances Improvement Plan 2014, what steps she is taking to strengthen her Department's ability to recover assets hidden overseas.

Attacking criminal finances is central to our Serious and Organised Crime Strategy. Under the Criminal Finances Improvement Plan, the Government is working with operational partners to strengthen the ability to recover assets hidden overseas.

Earlier this month the Government adopted the EU measures on the mutual recognition of confiscation orders, which should result in improved asset recovery from EU countries. The measure also includes an asset sharing agreement with all of the other 27 EU Member States. The Government continues to seek asset sharing agreements with other key jurisdictions outside the EU.

Specialist Crown Prosecution Service Asset Recovery Advisors have been appointed for Spain, UAE, the Caribbean and Europe, with a further post in South Africa to be filled early in the new year. There has already been improvements to performance as a result of this activity, including the first ever return of UK criminal assets from the UAE.