Total amounts of monies received through proceeds of crime scheme: FOI release

Details concerning the total amounts of monies received through the proceeds of crime recovery scheme for the last five years. You also asked if this could be broken down into types of crime if possible and regions of Scotland; and for information on how these funds can be accessed by communities or local authorities.

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

With regards to the total amounts of monies received under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 for the last five years, the table below shows these disaggregated as criminal confiscations, and asset recovery and cash forfeiture under civil proceedings.

A table showing the monies recovered can be found in the attachment below.

With regards to how these funds can be accessed by communities or local authorities, we are currently in year two of Phase IV of CashBack for Communities which is now closed for applications. 

We also have two annual open funds: CashBack for Creativity and Youth Work Fund which are both administered by Youthlink Scotland.  

The CashBack for Creativity Open Fund creates opportunities for a range of organisations, working in collaboration with artists across the country, to apply for funding of up to £10,000 to deliver high quality arts activities for up to 12 months. For more information on the Creativity Open Fund, please see link to their website attached:  

https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/cashback-for-creativity-open-fund

The Cashback Youth Work Fund is an annual small grant scheme to resource community based youth work organisations to provide diversionary activities for disadvantaged young people. Youthlink distribute the funding using locally based assessment panels with a total of £700,000 available. For more information on the Youth Work Fund, please see link to their website attached:

https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/youth-work-fund

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. In relation to whether the total figures can be broken down into types of crime if possible and regions of Scotland, the Scottish Government does not hold this information. However, you may wish to contact the following authorities who may be able to help you.

For details of criminal confiscations:

The Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service

Saughton House

Broomhouse Drive

Edinburgh

EH11 3XD

Tel 0131 444 3300

enquiries@scotcourts.gov.uk

For details of civil recoveries:

Civil Recovery Unit

c/o Crown Office

25 Chambers Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1LA

Tel 0300 020 3000

FOI@copfs.gsi.gov.uk

The reasons why we don’t have the information are explained below.

The Scottish Government does not have the information.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because the Scottish Government is not responsible for the subject. This is because orders made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are a matter for the Courts.