A campaign by West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to get all ill-gotten gains back into the communities affected by crime has reached Parliament.

More than £23 million in illegal cash and assets has been seized in the county since 2008.

Mark Burns-Williamson has campaigned for all the cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act to come back into West Yorkshire, rather than the current rules where 50 per cent goes back to the Treasury.

He had previously urged policing minister Damian Green to look at closing loopholes with regards to the Act by handing him a letter in December on the legislation he believed needed tightening.

Now Mr Green has pledged to introduce legislation to address the loopholes regarding POCA in the next Parliament, a significant step forward for the PCC’s campaign.

Mr Burns-Williamson said: “The latest meeting with Mr Green moves the POCA campaign on significantly.

“He said this week that the Government is looking at introducing legislation in the next Parliament to address the loopholes and he recognises the work that West Yorkshire is doing leading the way as a force and what I am doing as Police and Crime Commissioner.”

To sign the nationwide campaign to get all the POCA cash back into communities, visit http://action.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/page/s/giveusbackallthemoney.