The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Investigations and External Orders and Requests) (Amendment) Order 2018

Interim freezing orders (Scotland)

14.  After article 46H (supplementary) of the 2013 Order (which is inserted by article 13 (unexplained wealth orders: Scotland)) insert—

“Unexplained wealth order: application for interim freezing order

46I.— (1) This article applies where the Court of Session makes an unexplained wealth order in respect of any property.

(2) The court may make an interim freezing order in respect of the property if the court considers it necessary to do so for the purposes of avoiding the risk of any external order (within the meaning of section 447(2) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (interpretation)) that might subsequently be obtained being frustrated.

(3) An interim freezing order is an order that prohibits the respondent to the unexplained wealth order, and any other persons with an interest in the property, from in any way dealing with the property (subject to any exclusions under article 46K (exclusions)).

(4) An interim freezing order—

(a) may be made only on the application of the Scottish Ministers;

(b) may be made only in order to give effect to an external request (within the meaning of section 447(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002);

(c) must be made in the same proceedings as those in which the unexplained wealth order is made, and

(d) may be combined in one document with the unexplained wealth order.

(5) If an application for an unexplained wealth order in respect of property is made without notice, an application for an interim freezing order in respect of the property must also be made without notice.

Variation and discharge of interim freezing order

46J.— (1) The Court of Session may at any time vary or discharge an interim freezing order.

(2) The Court of Session must discharge an interim freezing order, so far as it has effect in relation to property, in each of the following two cases.

(3) The first case is where—

(a) the applicable period has ended, and

(b) a relevant application has not been made before the end of that period in relation to the property concerned.

(4) The second case is where—

(a) a relevant application has been made before the end of the applicable period in relation to the property concerned, and

(b) proceedings on the application (including on any appeal) have been determined or otherwise disposed of.

(5) The “applicable period” means—

(a) in a case where the respondent complies, or purports to comply, with the requirements imposed by an unexplained wealth order before the end of the response period, the period of 120 days beginning with the day after the day upon which the compliance material was provided to the enforcement authority (see article 46D(2) (provision of compliance material), and

(b) in any other case, the period of 28 days beginning with the day after the day with which the response period ends.

(6) In calculating the period of 48 hours for the purposes of paragraph (5), no account is to be taken of—

(a) any Saturday or Sunday,

(b) Christmas Day,

(c) Good Friday,

(d) any day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in Scotland.

(7) Before exercising the power under this article to vary or discharge an interim freezing order, the court must (as well as giving the parties to the proceedings an opportunity to be heard) give an opportunity to any person who may be affected by its decision to be heard.

(8) Paragraph (7) does not apply where the court is acting as required by paragraph (2).

(9) In this article, “relevant application” means an application for—

(a) a restraint order under article 58 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 (restraint orders), or

(b) a prohibition order under Part 4B of that Order (giving effect in Scotland to external requests by means of civil proceedings).

Exclusions

46K.— (1) The power to vary an interim freezing order includes (amongst other things) power to make exclusions as follows—

(a) power to exclude property from the order, and

(b) power, otherwise than by excluding property from the order, to make exclusions from the prohibition on dealing with the property to which the order applies.

(2) Exclusions from the prohibition on dealing with the property to which the order applies (other than exclusions of property from the order) may also be made when the order is made.

(3) An exclusion may (amongst other things) make provision for the purpose of enabling any person—

(a) to meet the person’s reasonable living expenses, or

(b) to carry on any trade, business, profession or occupation.

(4) An exclusion may be subject to conditions.

(5) An exclusion may not be made for the purpose of enabling any person to meet any legal expenses in respect of proceedings under this Part.

(6) If excluded property is not specified in the order it must be described in the order in general terms.

Restrictions on proceedings and remedies

46L.— (1) While an interim freezing order has effect the Court of Session may sist any action, execution or other legal process in respect of the property to the order applies.

(2) If a court (whether the Court of Session or any other court) in which proceedings are pending in respect of any property is satisfied that an interim freezing order has been applied for or made in respect of the property, it may—

(a) sist the proceedings, or

(b) allow them to continue on any terms it thinks fit.

(3) Before exercising a power conferred by this article, the court must (as well as giving the parties to any proceedings an opportunity to be heard) give an opportunity to any person who may be affected by the court’s decision to be heard.

Arrestment of property affected by interim freezing order

46M.— (1) On the application of the Scottish Ministers the Court of Session may, in relation to moveable property to which an interim freezing order applies (whether generally or to such of it as is specified in the application), grant warrant for arrestment.

(2) An application under paragraph (1) may be made at the same time as the application for the interim freezing order or at any time afterwards.

(3) A warrant for arrestment may be granted only if the property would be arrestable if the person entitled to it were a debtor.

(4) A warrant under paragraph (1) has effect as if granted on the dependence of an action for debt at the instance of the Scottish Ministers against the person and may be executed, recalled, loosed or restricted accordingly.

(5) An arrestment executed under this article ceases to have effect when, or in so far as, the interim freezing order ceases to apply in respect of the property in relation to which the warrant for arrestment was granted.

(6) If an arrestment ceases to have effect to any extent by virtue of paragraph (5), the Scottish Ministers must apply to the Court of Session for an order recalling or, as the case may be, restricting the arrestment.

Inhibition of property affected by interim freezing order

46N.— (1) On the application of the Scottish Ministers, the Court of Session may, in relation to the property mentioned in paragraph (2), grant warrant for inhibition against any person specified in an interim freezing order.

(2) The property is heritable property situated in Scotland to which the interim freezing order applies (whether generally or to such of it as is specified in the application).

(3) The warrant for inhibition—

(a) has effect as if granted on the dependence of an action for debt by the Scottish Ministers against the person and may be executed, recalled, loosed or restricted accordingly, and

(b) has the effect of letters of inhibition and must forthwith be registered by the Scottish Ministers in the register of inhibitions and adjudications.

(4) Section 155 of the Titles to Land Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1868(1) (effective date of inhibition) applies in relation to an inhibition for which warrant is granted under paragraph (1) as it applies to an inhibition by separate letters or contained in a summons.

(5) An inhibition executed under this section ceases to have effect when, or in so far as, the interim freezing order ceases to apply in respect of the property in relation to which the warrant for inhibition was granted.

(6) If an inhibition ceases to have effect to any extent by virtue of paragraph (5), the Scottish ministers must—

(a) apply for the recall or, as the case may be, the restriction of the inhibition, and

(b) ensure that the recall or restriction is reflected in the register of inhibitions and adjudications.

Receivers in connection with interim freezing orders

46O.— (1) This article applies where the Court of Session makes an interim freezing order on an application by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The Court of Session may, on an application by the Scottish Ministers, by order appoint a receiver in respect of any property to which the interim freezing order applies.

(3) An application under paragraph (2) may be made at the same time as the application for the interim freezing order or at any time afterwards.

(4) The application may be made without notice if the circumstances of the case are such that notice of the application would give rise to a risk of any external order that might subsequently be obtained being frustrated.

(5) In its application the Scottish Ministers must nominate a suitably qualified person for appointment as a receiver.

(6) The person nominated may be a member of staff of the Scottish Ministers.

Powers of receivers appointed under article 46O

46P.— (1) If the Court of Session appoints a receiver under article 46O (receivers in connection with interim freezing orders), the court may act under this article on the application of the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The court may by order authorise or require the receiver—

(a) to manage any property in respect of which the receiver is appointed;

(b) to take any other steps the court thinks appropriate in connection with the management of any such property (including securing the detention, custody or preservation of the property in order to manage it).

(3) Managing property includes—

(a) selling or otherwise disposing of assets comprised in the property which are perishable or which ought to be disposed of before their value diminishes;

(b) where the property comprises assets of a trade or business, carrying on, or arranging for another to carry on, the trade or business;

(c) incurring capital expenditure in respect of the property.

(4) The court may by order require any person in respect of whose property the receiver is appointed—

(a) to bring the property to a place in Scotland specified by the receiver or to place it in the custody of the receiver (if in either case the person is able to do so);

(b) to do anything the person is reasonably required to do by the receiver for the preservation of the property.

(5) The court may by order require any person in respect of whose property the receiver is appointed to bring any documents relating to the property which are in the person’s possession or control to a place in Scotland specified by the receiver or to place them in the custody of the receiver.

(6) In paragraph (5) “document” means anything in which information of any description is recorded.

(7) Any prohibition on dealing with property imposed by an interim freezing order does not prevent a person from complying with any requirements imposed by virtue of this article.

(8) Paragraph (9) applies in a case where—

(a) the receiver deals with property that is not property in respect of which the receiver was appointed under article 46O, but

(b) at the time of dealing with the property the receiver believed on reasonable grounds that they were entitled to do so by virtue of being appointed under article 46O.

(9) The receiver is not liable to any person in respect of any loss or damage resulting from the receiver’s dealing with the property.

(10) But paragraph (9) does not apply to the extent that the loss or damage is caused by the receiver’s negligence.

Supervision of article 46O receiver and variations

46Q.— (1) Any of the following persons may at any time apply to the Court of Session for directions as to the exercise of the functions of a receiver appointed under article 46O (receivers in connection with interim freezing orders)—

(a) the receiver;

(b) a party to the proceedings for the appointment of the receiver or the interim freezing order concerned;

(c) a person affected by an action taken by the receiver;

(d) a person who may be affected by an action proposed to be taken by the receiver.

(2) Before it gives directions under paragraph (1) the court must give an opportunity to be heard to—

(a) the receiver;

(b) the parties to the proceedings for the appointment of the receiver and for the interim freezing order concerned;

(c) a person who may be interested in the application under paragraph (1).

(3) The court may at any time vary or discharge—

(a) the appointment of a receiver under article 46O,

(b) an order under article 46P (powers of receivers appointed under article 46O), or

(c) directions under this article.

(4) Before exercising a power under paragraph (3) the court must give an opportunity to be heard to—

(a) the receiver;

(b) the parties to the proceedings for the appointment of the receiver, for the order under article 46O or (as the case may be) for the directions under this article;

(c) the parties to the proceedings for the interim freezing order concerned;

(d) any person who may be affected by the court’s decision.

Compensation

46R.— (1) Where an interim freezing order in respect of any property is recalled, the person to whom the property belongs may make an application to the Court of Session for the payment of compensation.

(2) The application must be made within the period of three months beginning with the recall of the interim freezing order.

(3) The court may award compensation to be paid to the applicant only if satisfied that—

(a) the applicant has suffered loss as a result of the making of the interim freezing order,

(b) there has been a serious default on the part of the Scottish Ministers in applying for the order, and

(c) the order would not have been made had the default not occurred.

(4) Where the court orders the payment of compensation—

(a) the compensation is payable by the Scottish Ministers, and

(b) the amount of the compensation to be paid is the amount that the court thinks reasonable, having regard to the loss suffered and any other relevant circumstance.”.

(1)

1868 c. 101 (31 & 32 Vict). Section 155 was amended by section 98(1) and (2) of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 20), and by section 149 of the Bankruptcy & Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3).