Reassurances Welcome, but serious questions on ARA demand answering - Sir Reg
Following publication of the Home Secretary’s letter regarding assets recovery and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), Ulster Unionist Leader Sir Reg Empey has said that the Party will be pressing ahead with its request for a meeting with John Reid to raise their concerns over the ARA abolition.
In a statement, Sir Reg said: “Regarding the Assets Recovery Agency, our view remains the same – if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
“While reassurances on effort are welcome, there are serious questions that must be answered. For example, how on earth did we get to this position? The decision to remove the ARA was taken without serious consultation with the Policing Board or even the PSNI.
“The decision to remove such a successful agency has massive repercussions. Instead of fully resourcing and strengthening the work of the ARA, the government are reduced to making vague aspirational statements of how well the new system might work.
“The ARA was working fine prior to the government’s interference. Having met with the PSNI to discuss this issue, it is clear to us that police believe that the ARA is doing a good job and there is concern that the critical expertise currently within that organization could be lost in the transition to Soca taking over control.
“We intend to raise these and other issues with the Home Secretary at the earliest opportunity.”