Assets Recovery Agency slated by MPs' report

The Public Accounts Select Committee has today published a report into the Assets Recovery Agency who's tagline is "making sure crime doesn't pay". The rpeort notes that the Agency has cost the taxpayer £65 million and has recoevred assets of £23 million, so perhaps they should change the tagline to "making sure we spend taxpayers money and do crap work" instead?

The report sais that the Agency was set up with "insufficient preparatory work" and went on to say that it,

did not develop effective work processes: it failed to keep a comprehensive database of cases referred to it; it did not invest in a time-recording system to manage and monitor staff time and the cost of cases; and it failed to put in place formal and consistent case management processes to enable management to monitor the progression of cases effectively.

Never fear though, it's being disbanded and the Serious Organised Crime Agency will take over its work. Look on the bright side, its only £42 million that has been wasted.