Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 June (HL408), what steps they will take to ensure that the total sum of the Abacha loot will not end up in the hands of criminals.

The UK is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and places great importance on the recovery and return of the proceeds of corruption.

The UK is mindful of its obligations under international law, including UNCAC, and the principles for transparent and accountable asset return which were endorsed at the Global Forum for Asset Recovery in 2017.

In January 2022, the UK published its first ever Framework for Transparent and Accountable Asset Return, which applies across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the Framework is to ensure consistency, transparency and accountability in the UK’s process for returning assets.

When returning funds, the UK will always sign a case-specific agreement with the relevant country detailing the steps that the recipient Government will take to ensure the funds are put to their intended use.

All agreements which oversee the return of funds abroad are published on gov.uk