Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

391 Disclosure orders S

(1) The High Court of Justiciary, on an application made to it by the Lord Advocate in relation to confiscation investigations [F1 or money laundering investigations], or the Court of Session, on an application made to it by the Scottish Ministers in relation to civil recovery investigations, may make a disclosure order if it is satisfied that each of the requirements for the making of the order is fulfilled.

(2) No application for a disclosure order may be made in relation to a [F2 detained cash investigation] [F3 , a detained property investigation [F4 , a frozen funds investigation or a cryptoasset investigation]] F5 ....

(3) The application for a disclosure order must state that—

(a) a person specified in the application is subject to a confiscation investigation and the order is sought for the purposes of the investigation, or

[F6 (aa) a person specified in the application is subject to a money laundering investigation and the order is sought for the purposes of the investigation, or]

(b) [F7 a person specified in the application or] property specified in the application is subject to a civil recovery investigation and the order is sought for the purposes of the investigation.

(4) A disclosure order is an order authorising the Lord Advocate or the Scottish Ministers to give to any person the Lord Advocate considers or the Scottish Ministers consider has relevant information, notice in writing requiring him to do, with respect to any matter relevant to the investigation for the purposes of which the order is sought, any or all of the following—

(a) answer questions, either at a time specified in the notice or at once, at a place so specified;

(b) provide information specified in the notice, by a time and in a manner so specified;

(c) produce documents, or documents of a description, specified in the notice, either at or by a time so specified or at once, and in a manner so specified.

(5) Relevant information is information (whether or not contained in a document) which the Lord Advocate considers or the Scottish Ministers consider to be relevant to the investigation.

(6) A person is not bound to comply with a requirement imposed by a notice given under a disclosure order unless evidence of authority to give the notice is produced to him.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 391(1) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 8(2)(a), 58(1)(6); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 3(b)

F2 Words in s. 391(2) inserted (18.6.2009) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(3), Sch. 10 para. 20; S.S.I. 2009/224, art. 2(1)(d)(ii)

F3 Words in s. 391(2) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. for specified purposes, 16.4.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 67; S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(3)(a)(i)(ii); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F4 Words in s. 391(2) substituted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for S. for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for E.W.N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), s. 219(1)(2)(b), Sch. 9 para. 8(25); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 4(b)(i)(ii)

F5 Words in s. 391(2) omitted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 8(2)(b), 58(1)(6); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 3(b)

F6 S. 391(3)(aa) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 8(2)(c), 58(1)(6); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 3(b)

F7 Words in s. 391(3)(b) inserted (1.6.2015 for E.W.S.) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 19 para. 18; S.I. 2015/964, art. 2(d) (with art. 3)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 391 in force at 24.2.2003 by S.I. 2003/120, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3, 4) (as amended (20.2.2003) by S.I. 2003/333, art. 14)