Scotland and England go separate ways with own FBI-style agencies

Published on Thursday 25 November 2004 01:17

SCOTLAND and England are to have their own separate FBI-style agencies, thwarting plans for a London-based organisation to cover constabularies on both sides of the Border.

The proposed Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) was unveiled yesterday as a simple merger of English law-enforcement agencies, none of which has any writ over Scottish police. The only cross-border legislation is an emergency clause that gives the Home Secretary the power to "direct" Scottish police forces if they refuse to co-operate with SOCA - but this required the "consent of Scottish ministers".

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill - the first in a volley of security laws designed for Labour’s pre-election agenda - was published yesterday by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary.

In spite of being originally billed as a "British FBI", SOCA will have no Scottish components. Its main parts will be the London-based National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad.

A list of directors will be chosen for SOCA, but, crucially, no places are reserved for Scots.

SOCA will also contain parts of HM Customs & Excise and the Immigration Service, both of which are UK agencies with offices in Scotland. Their staff north of the Border will effectively become SOCA’s Scottish representatives.

But strict dividing lines were drawn by Cathy Jamieson, who issued a statement making clear that SOCA’s staff in Scotland would answer to Edinburgh.

"They will be subject to the direction of the Lord Advocate in the investigation and prosecution of crime," the justice minister said. "This will ensure that SOCA operates effectively north of the Border, while respecting devolved matters."

In Scotland, SOCAs tasks will effectively be performed by the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA), which has already expanded into organised crime.

Under the plans for a Scottish "FBI", the SDEA will move from its Paisley headquarters to a new Law-Enforcement Campus in Gartcosh, Lanarkshire, by 2006. Graham Pearson, the head of the SDEA, has already visited the FBI headquarters in Washington and is expected to run his new agency along the same lines.

The Gartcosh campus will also house agencies such as Strathclyde Police’s forensic department, the Scottish Money Laundering Unit, the Scottish Witness Liaison Unit and the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit.

Jack McConnell, the First Minister, believes the English proposals for SOCA mirror the Scottish plans for Gartcosh. He strongly believes the two can work together without any question of subordination.

He is now urging Mr Blunkett to sign up to his Gartcosh scheme, by having the Scottish staff of SOCA based there.

An Executive source said SOCA would do well to sign up in the interests of close co-operation. "We are always open to applications from new tenants," he said.