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Human Trafficking: Confiscation Orders

Answer

The available information is provided in the following table. The figures shown in the table relate solely to cases recorded on the Ministry of Justice courts proceedings database where an offence of Human trafficking or Drug trafficking was the principal offence for which the offender was sentenced and where the confiscation order was made at the point of sentence. It is possible that a confiscation order will be made in a separate court appearance following sentence. These cases are not included in this answer so it is possible the true number of confiscation orders is higher than presented here.Data for 2008 have been provided as data for 2009 and 2010 is not yet available. Sentencing data for 2009 will be published later this year.No estimates of likely levels of savings to the public purse relating specifically to confiscation orders for trafficking are known to have been calculated by the Ministry of Justice.50 per cent. of money recovered is given back to the operational bodies to drive up asset recovery work. 50 per cent. is retained by the Home Office for core funding including the Regional Assets Recovery Team. This money represents an addition to budgets rather than a saving and is important in providing extra resources to take proceeds off the criminals.

Confiscation orders issued for drug¹ or people trafficking², 2008
	Drug trafficking	People trafficking
Total confiscation orders (number)	¹1,486	0
Amount confiscated (£)	¹20,529,373	n/a
n/a = not applicable
¹ This includes drug offences relating to importation and exportation, supply, production and other relevant drug offences. These figures have been taken from table 4.10 of Sentencing Statistics 2008.
² Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation
Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation
Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation
Trafficking people Into the UK for the purpose of exploitation
Trafficking people within the UK for the purpose of exploitation
Trafficking people out of the UK
Note:
1. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
2. These data have been taken from the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings database. These data are presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.
3. Sentencing data are usually baaed on the principal offence and the primary disposal for that offence. A confiscation order is an ancillary disposal usually given alongside the main sentence, these results show the number and amount for confiscation orders given as any one of four disposals recorded against a principal offence of trafficking.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

508 c657W; 324637

Session

2009-10

Subjects

Confiscation orders Human trafficking

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk