Draft Information Sharing (Disclosure by the Registrar) Regulations 2024

Andrew Griffith Excerpts

Wednesday 27th November 2024 General Committees

[Andrew Griffith (Arundel and South Downs) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I congratulate the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough on his new ministerial responsibilities. It is my first chance to do that. There could not be a more important role in any Government seeking to drive economic growth than that of the Minister responsible for small businesses, so I wish him well in that role. I hope he will act as a diligent voice for small businesses, including by making representations to the right hon. Member for Leeds West and Pudsey (Rachel Reeves) after her recent Budget. Small businesses across the country tell me that they are bleeding out as a result of the jobs tax, the family business tax and many other measures. We wish the Minister well, but I hope he is able to be an effective voice.

We are here to talk about the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, and the delegated legislation resulting from it. That builds on the work conducted by the previous Government, particularly by one of my excellent predecessors, my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake). We will be a constructive Opposition. When this Government do the right thing, we will celebrate and support it. In that context, I confirm that the Opposition support the draft regulations.