Sequestration and Freezing of Assets

(asked on 30th November 2016) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime and (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to asset (i) freezes or (ii) seizures by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last eight years.


Answered by
 Portrait
Jane Ellison
This question was answered on 5th December 2016

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Management Information systems within the Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) do not capture the data sought in a way which is readily available to provide the information requested. HMRC systems do not record which assets may be seized against a Restraint Order unless a Confiscation Order has been raised. Collating the data sought would therefore incur disproportionate costs.

FIS does also provide data to the Home Office Joint Assets Recovery Database system but it is not categorised in a format that would provide the requested data. In order to extract this information, it would require reference to case paperwork and would therefore incur disproportionate costs.

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