Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Serious Fraud Office: Economic Crime

Thursday 13 November 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Serious Fraud Office secured 1.1 million from the sale of a Lake District house through its first use of an unexplained wealth order.
  • Solicitor General acknowledges the need for the Serious Fraud Office to have access to more registers of beneficial overseas interests.
  • SFO is committed to working more closely with French and Swiss partners through the international anti-corruption prosecutorial taskforce.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Justice & Courts
Context

The SFO has recovered over £550 million from criminals since April 2020, showing its effectiveness but also highlighting areas for expansion.

Question

Since the SFO's first use of an unexplained wealth order to recover more than £1 million stolen from the public, how will the Solicitor General support efforts to expand the use of such orders to target criminals who have defrauded innocent victims?

Answer from The Solicitor General (Ellie Reeves)

On 9 September, the Serious Fraud Office secured £1.1 million from the sale of a Lake District house through its first use of an unexplained wealth order connected to the assets of the wife of convicted fraudster Timothy Schools. This innovative use of legislation showcases the SFO’s resolve to pursue criminal assets wherever they are hidden and explore new methods to recover funds for victims and the public purse.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Solicitor General provided context on a specific case but did not directly commit to expanding the use of unexplained wealth orders.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Steff Aquarone LD North Norfolk
Justice & Courts
Context

Fraudsters exploit financial secrecy in territories with less stringent regulations, making it difficult for the SFO to secure prosecutions and recover funds.

Question

Does the Solicitor General agree that providing the Serious Fraud Office access to more registers of beneficial overseas interests would empower them to secure more prosecutions for economic crime, recover dodged taxes for the Treasury, and allow investment in public services?

Answer from The Solicitor General (Ellie Reeves)

I am grateful for that question. The Serious Fraud Office is constantly looking at ways to clamp down on fraud and economic crime. For example, the SFO is committed to working more closely with French and Swiss partners through the international anti-corruption prosecutorial taskforce, to ensure that we are robustly tackling cross-border economic crime, and to protect our future prosperity as part of our plan for change.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Solicitor General discussed collaboration with other countries but did not directly address expanding SFO's access to overseas registers.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)