Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Annual plans and reports

6Annual plans

(1)Before the beginning of each financial year SOCA must issue a plan setting out how SOCA intends to exercise its functions during that year (“the annual plan”).

(2)The annual plan must (in particular) set out how SOCA intends to exercise its functions in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.

(3)The annual plan must also include a statement of—

(a)any priorities which SOCA has determined for that year,

(b)any current strategic priorities determined by the Secretary of State under section 9,

(c)any current performance targets established by SOCA, and

(d)the financial resources that are expected to be available to SOCA for that year.

(4)Any priorities within subsection (3)(a) may relate—

(a)to matters to which strategic priorities determined under section 9 also relate, or

(b)to other matters,

but in any event must be so framed as to be consistent with strategic priorities determined under that section.

(5)The annual plan must state, in relation to each priority within subsection (3)(a) or (b), how SOCA intends to give effect to that priority.

(6)SOCA must arrange for the annual plan to be published in such manner as it considers appropriate.

(7)SOCA must send a copy of the annual plan to—

(a)the Secretary of State,

(b)the Scottish Ministers,

(c)the Commissioners,

(d)each police authority for an area in Great Britain, each joint police board and the Northern Ireland Policing Board,

(e)the chief officer of each police force in the United Kingdom, and

(f)such other persons as SOCA considers appropriate.

(8)In subsection (7)(d) the reference to a police authority for an area in Great Britain does not include a constituent authority in an amalgamation scheme approved under section 19(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (c. 77).

(9)Before issuing its annual plan for any financial year, SOCA must—

(a)consult the Scottish Ministers and agree with them what provision the plan is to make for Scotland by virtue of subsection (2); and

(b)consult such other persons as it considers appropriate.

7Annual reports

(1)As soon as possible after the end of each financial year SOCA must issue a report on the exercise of its functions during that year (an “annual report”).

(2)The annual report must include an assessment of the extent to which the annual plan for that year under section 6 has been carried out.

(3)SOCA must arrange for the annual report to be published in such manner as it considers appropriate.

(4)SOCA must send a copy of the annual report to—

(a)the Secretary of State,

(b)the Scottish Ministers,

(c)the Commissioners,

(d)each police authority for an area in Great Britain, each joint police board and the Northern Ireland Policing Board,

(e)the chief officer of each police force in the United Kingdom, and

(f)such other persons as SOCA considers appropriate.

(5)In subsection (4)(d) the reference to a police authority for an area in Great Britain does not include a constituent authority in an amalgamation scheme approved under section 19(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967.

(6)The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the annual report before Parliament.

(7)The Scottish Ministers must lay a copy of the annual report before the Scottish Parliament.