Chamber and committees

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0212-01.htm

The Civil Recovery Unit acts on behalf of the Scottish ministers as the enforcement authority for Scotland under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Under those provisions, civil proceedings may be brought in the Court of Session for the recovery of property which has been obtained through crime. Civil proceedings may also be brought in the sheriff court for the forfeiture of cash which has been obtained through crime or which is intended for use in crime.

The total annual running costs for the Civil Recovery Unit in each year since 2003, including all staff and case related costs, amount to:

2003-04: £526,000

2004-05: £1,149,000

2005-06: £1,300,000

2006-07: £1,043,000

2007-08: £1,334,000.

In 2003, the Criminal Confiscation Unit was responsible for the administration of restraint and criminal confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. That unit was merged with the Fraud and Specialist Services Unit in June 2004 to create the Financial Crime Unit. The Financial Crime Unit now forms part of the National Casework Division at Crown Office. National Casework Division now comprises of the Organised Crime Unit, Financial Crime Unit and the Proceeds of Crime Unit.

Separate running costs in respect of the administration of restraint and criminal confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are not available, as the Financial Crime Unit and now the National Casework Division have significant additional responsibilities, including, but not exclusively, the preparation and prosecution of serious and complex fraud, money laundering and organised crime cases. It is not possible to extract costs dedicated to the Proceeds of Crime Unit from the total running costs of the National Casework Division.

The total annual running costs for the Criminal Confiscation Unit, Financial Crime Unit and National Casework Division in each year since 2003, including all staff and case related costs, amount to:

2003-04: £559,000 (Criminal Confiscation Unit)

2004-05 £1,372,000 (Financial Crime Unit)

2005-06: £1,129,000 (Financial Crime Unit)

2006-07: £1,462,000 (Financial Crime Unit/National Casework Division)

2007-08: £1,756,000 (National Casework Division).

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18921 on 15 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The total sum which has been secured by Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since 2003 amounts to:

2003-04: £2,191,175

2004-05: £2,348,846

2005-06: £4,835,541

2006-07: £6,120,955

2007-08: £5,547,492

1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £2,402,321.

Preparation for and conduct of criminal confiscation proceedings is the responsibility of National Casework Division, Crown Office. Once a Confiscation Order has been made by the court, it falls to be engathered by the Sheriff Clerk. The value of Confiscation Orders in each year since 2003 amount to:

2003-04: £1,494,365

2004-05: £1,347,599

2005-06: £3,469,739

2006-07:  £4,424,313

2007-08: £2,847,037

1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £1,117,727.

The sums recovered by the Civil Recovery Unit and remitted to the Scottish Consolidated Fund in each year since 2003 amount to:

2003-04: £696,810

2004-05: £1,001,247

2005-06: £1,365,802

2006-07: £1,696,642

2007-08: £2,700,455

1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £1,284,594.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18921 on 15 January 2009. The answer provides details of the running costs of the National Casework Division and Civil Recovery Unit within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each year since 2003. The running costs incorporate all case related costs, including legal costs such as court fees, Counsels'' fees, fees for the service of judicial documents and any other costs incurred in the preparation and conduct of proceedings.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not record the information requested.

The board does not record whether any applicant for advice and assistance or legal aid, including those pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, is a convicted person. For the most common Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings involving a convicted person, i.e. criminal confiscation proceedings, representation is covered by the original grant of legal aid and the board does not record separately that the subject matter also involved the Proceeds of Crime Act.

This Government is doing everything within its power to protect jobs across all sectors and to mitigate the effects of the economic downturn across the whole of Scotland, including in Edinburgh.

Recognising that the global economic slowdown has presented severe challenges to the Scottish economy, the Scottish Government has set out an economic recovery programme which builds on the steps already taken to support the Scottish economy.

The programme has six elements, designed to maintain investment and development in the economy while targeting support at households and businesses.

Full details can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/economic-situation.

The Scottish Government is currently working in partnership with stakeholders to produce a Cycling Action Plan for Scotland. Other projects include grants to local authorities for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects, to Sustrans to tackle the school run and extend and maintain the National Cycle Network and to Cycling Scotland to promote the benefits of cycling. Our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places initiative is rolling out in seven areas in Scotland and will promote all forms of sustainable transport including cycling.

I have already written to the Home Secretary asking that she take suitable steps to resolve the inconsistent processing by Home Office officials of applications from learners who have studied SQA qualifications.

This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual Chief Constables.