Statement
Today the Government is launching a consultation document relating to the granting of Accredited Financial Investigator powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) to an additional three agencies, increasing our capacity to pursue asset recovery and further combat serious and organised crime.
The following public bodies have sought access to Accredited Financial Investigator powers:
- The Forestry Commission.
- Intellectual Property Office.
- Immigration Advice Authority.
The Government have assessed the value of extending the powers to each agency and concluded that we should seek to grant the powers to all three. However, to enhance transparency and foster effective decision making, the Government intend to seek the views of the wider public on this before laying the order in Parliament.
Additionally, the Intellectual Property Office will be restored its previous Part 8 POCA powers which it held whilst formally under the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy but were lost during departmental restructuring.
As such, this consultation will be launched for 12 weeks to seek to establish the views from the public on whether these organisations should be granted the financial investigator powers.
A copy of the consultation document will be placed in the libraries of both Houses and published on Gov.UK.