Gordon Brown announces new powers for UK Treasury
{{date|October 10, 2006}}

Gordon Brown, [[w:Chancellor of the Exchequer|Chancellor of the Exchequer]], announced today that an [[w:Order in Council|Order in Council]] will be made tomorrow empowering the British [[w:Treasury|Treasury]] to prevent the funding of those suspected of planning terror. Use will be made of [[w:forensic accounting|forensic accounting]] and of methods similar to those employed by the code breakers at [[w:Bletchley Park|Bletchley Park]]. With the help of computing power to discover relations between bits of information, they cracked the German [[w:Enigma code|Enigma code]] during [[w:WWII|WWII]]. Gordon Brown ranks the impact of forensic accounting at the present time with the use of [[w:fingerprinting|fingerprinting]] in the 19th century and of [[w:DNA|DNA]] in the late 20th Century.

Speaking to [[w:Chatham House|Chatham House]], The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Brown defined the most dangerous sources of finance for terrorists as being [[w:charities|charities]], money service businesses and financial transactions such as [[w:bureaux de change|bureaux de change]], cheque cashers and money remitters. There will be a new licensing system requiring firms to keep more detailed records of transactions. Tougher action against non-compliance is promised. New proposals about [[w:money laundering|money laundering]] are being prepared. 

The new Order will empower the Treasury, for the first time, to use ''closed source evidence'' from [[w:classified intelligence|classified intelligence]] to freeze the assets of suspects. A ''special advocate procedure'' will be put in place to ensure "fair and consistent hearing of cases".  If evidence shows it to be necessary, it is Brown's opinion that suspects should be held, without a charge being brought, for more than the present 28 days. 

The Government has been defeated once already in [[w:Parliament|Parliament]] in an attempt, in the [[w:Terrorism Act 2006|Terrorism Act 2006]], to increase the present 28 days of detention without charge to 90 days. Public opinion was very divided on that proposal and feelings in Parliament ran high with talk of a [[w:police state|police state]] and of the Government pandering to public opinion.

== Sources ==

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6035861.stm
|title=Brown outlines terror crackdown
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=October 10, 2006}}

*[[w:Hansard|Hansard]]: [http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051109/debtext/51109-26.htm The vote on the 90 day detention amendment with names] - Ayes: 291, Noes 322 - "Question (that the period of detention without charge be extended to 90 days) accordingly negatived".

{{publish}}
{{Archived}}
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Gordon Brown]]
Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced today that an Order in Council will be made tomorrow empowering the British Treasury to prevent the funding of those suspected of planning terror. Use will be made of forensic accounting and of methods similar to those employed by the code breakers at Bletchley Park. With the help of computing power to discover relations between bits of information, they cracked the German Enigma code during WWII. Gordon Brown ranks the impact of forensic accounting at the present time with the use of fingerprinting in the 19th century and of DNA in the late 20th Century.

Speaking to Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Brown defined the most dangerous sources of finance for terrorists as being charities, money service businesses and financial transactions such as bureaux de change, cheque cashers and money remitters. There will be a new licensing system requiring firms to keep more detailed records of transactions. Tougher action against non-compliance is promised. New proposals about money laundering are being prepared. 

The new Order will empower the Treasury, for the first time, to use closed source evidence from classified intelligence to freeze the assets of suspects. A special advocate procedure will be put in place to ensure "fair and consistent hearing of cases".  If evidence shows it to be necessary, it is Brown's opinion that suspects should be held, without a charge being brought, for more than the present 28 days. 

The Government has been defeated once already in Parliament in an attempt, in the Terrorism Act 2006, to increase the present 28 days of detention without charge to 90 days. Public opinion was very divided on that proposal and feelings in Parliament ran high with talk of a police state and of the Government pandering to public opinion.

*Hansard:  The vote on the 90 day detention amendment with names - Ayes: 291, Noes 322 - "Question (that the period of detention without charge be extended to 90 days) accordingly negatived".
United Kingdom Politics and conflicts Gordon Brown