Speeches

Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2014-04-08.

To ask the Attorney General, how much money subject to a Crown Prosecution Service restraining or confiscation order has been diverted to meet the costs of a private-sector receiver in each of the last three financial years; and what proportion that amount was of all assets subject to such orders.

Oliver Heald

The following table contains data from the last 3 financial years on the total amount restrained under restraint orders, the total fees paid to management receivers, and the percentage of receivership fees as a proportion of the restrained amount:

Management Receiverships:

Financial Year

Fees Paid to Management

Receivers

*Total Amount Restrained Under

Restraint Order Amount

% of Receivership Fees as a Proportion

of the Amount Restrained

2011 – 2012

£1,677,316.04

£ 142,861,002.70

1.17%

2012 – 2013

£ 995,667.35

£ 142,878,474.31

0.70%

2013 – 2014

£ 1,168,938.64

£ 145,485,882.31

0.80%

It should be noted that the amount restrained is constantly fluctuating due to a number of factors including payment of reasonable living expenses from restrained funds and the changing values of real property. Accordingly, it is difficult to get an accurate value as to the amount restrained at any one time.

*It should further be noted that the amount shown represents the entirety of restrained funds. However, in many cases, the receiver is appointed to manage carefully selected assets and not all of the funds restrained. Accordingly, the receiver’s fees as a proportion of the amount of restrained funds he manages could be considerably higher than the figures shown above.

The following table contains data from the last 3 financial years on the total confiscation order amount (i.e. the sum of all assets included in confiscation orders), total fees paid to enforcement receivers, and the percentage of receivership fees as a proportion of the confiscation order amount:

Enforcement Receivers:

Financial Year

Fees Paid to Enforcement

Receivers

*Total Confiscation Order Amount

(including any variations)

% of Receivership Fees as a Proportion

of the Confiscation Order Amount

2011 – 2012

£2,716,436.53

£109,684,469.49

2.48%

2012 – 2013

£2,982,980.41

£140,752,428.67

2.12%

2013 – 2014

£1,413,235.87

£138,249,651.38

1.02%

*It should further be noted that the amount shown represents the total sum of assets available for confiscation. However, in many cases, the receiver is appointed to realise carefully selected assets and not all assets listed in the confiscation order. Accordingly, the receiver’s fees as a proportion of the assets he is appointed to realise could be considerably higher than the figures shown above.