Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Act 2010
Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Act 2010
The Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Act 2010 was a short-term UK law designed to keep in force certain Orders in Council that froze the assets of people suspected of involvement in terrorism. It acted as a temporary measure while Parliament prepared stronger, long-term legislation.
Why it existed: A Supreme Court ruling (HM Treasury v Ahmed) found that existing asset-freezing orders under UN measures were unlawful because the UN Act of 1946 did not provide proper parliamentary scrutiny for such coercive measures. Parliament needed a way to validate these orders while a fully compliant law could be enacted.
What it covered: The Act related to Orders in Council used to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1373 and related 1267 Committee directives. These orders were the method used to freeze assets of suspected terrorists.
Key dates and scope: The bill was introduced on 5 February 2010 and received royal assent (becoming law) on 10 February 2010. It applied across the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
What happened next: The Act provided temporary validity for the existing orders, allowing time for Parliament to pass a new, proper piece of legislation. It was repealed on 17 December 2010 by the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc Act 2010, which established a full statutory framework to implement UN measures with appropriate parliamentary scrutiny.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:13 (CET).