Annex C
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
1. Initiatives by the NI Departments
(a) Charities—legislation is planned
for the summer of next year to introduce a full statutory regime,
including a NI Charities Register regulated by a newly appointed
Charities Commission.
(b) Illegal dumping—a public consultation
document was recently issued[8]
which proposes changes to waste enforcement powers to enable suspect
vehicles to be stopped, searched, and if necessary, seized and
retained pending the outcome of an investigation. Legislation
will be brought forward next year.
(c) Licensing regimes—the Task Force
is examining the regulatory framework around legitimate businesses
such as taxis, pubs and hotels, to determine how they may be further
enhanced. Revised taxi licensing legislation should be in effect
in 2007; to provide for operator licensing and enhanced enforcement
powers. A Consultation paper on liquor licensing[9]
recently issued, proposes the introduction of personal & premises
licenses and strengthened enforcement measures.
(d) Oils Fraud—proposals to streamline
and tighten the petrol licensing regime are currently being considered.
The Task Force will be reviewing the current petrol licensing
regime in other jurisdictions, such as GB and ROI, to identify
best practice and learn lessons.
(e) Extortion—Professor Ron Goldstock,
in his 2004 report[10],
recommended the use of Independent Private Sector Inspector Generals
to monitor compliance with relevant law and regulations. A pilot
project, involving six public sector construction contracts is
currently underway with the evaluation and final report due in
2006.
2. Assets Recovery
(a) From the next financial year the Home
Office will operate a new Assets Recovery Incentivisation scheme
which rebates half of the monies actually received back to the
LEAs concerned, the balance being retained by the Home Office.
This, together with ARA's recent announcement to significantly
expand its NI operations both in terms of financial investigators/lawyers
and case numbers, will further increase our overall capacity to
seize criminal assets in NI;
3. NI Private Security Industry
(a) In NI regulation of the private security
industry (door supervisors and security guards) currently exists
within the temporary provisions of Part 7 of the Terrorism Act.
The NIO is currently reviewing the existing provisions with a
view to introducing specific legislation to regulate the NI Private
Security Industry within the next two years;
4. Immigration
(a) Following the latest cross border co-operation
seminar it has been agreed to establish a new, multi-agency, immigration
enforcement office in Belfast, by late 2006. The UK Immigration
Service is leading on this project and is working up the staffing
requirements and the options available for a dedicated immigration
detention facility in NI with Task Force partner agencies. Until
recently there have been insufficient detainees, at any one time,
to make such a facility cost effective. The office will have the
capacity to both remove offenders and prosecute, where appropriate.
It will liaise directly with PSNI and the Garda National Immigration
Bureau in the Republic of Ireland.
8 Dept of Environment: "Proposed Amendments
to The Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997"
issued Aug 2005. Back
9
Dept of Social Development "Liquor Licensing-the Way
Forward" issued Nov 2005. Back
10
"Organised Crime in NI: A report for the Secretary of
State". The report, and the Government's response, was
published by the NIO in July 2004.
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