Economic Crime: Planned Government Bill

Lord Bishop of Durham Excerpts
Monday 31st January 2022

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Rooker Portrait Lord Rooker (Lab)
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You are answering for the Government.

Lord Bishop of Durham Portrait The Lord Bishop of Durham
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My Lords, those who decide to perpetrate economic crime are apparently targeted, swift and very bright about how they do it. I read the Statement and it mentions the Home Office, the Treasury and BEIS. Is it not time for more targeted, thought-through, quick action by government, rather than action that is divided across too many departments?

Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan (Con)
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All departments are working together to try to combat this menace, and there are a number of different elements to that. Obviously, BEIS’s responsibilities, in terms of Companies House and the register of beneficial owners, are one aspect—but of course there are also tax elements, which are the responsibility of the Treasury, and there are Home Office enforcement matters as well, in terms of criminal liability. So it is not a question of which department looks after this: an enormous amount of cross-departmental co-operation goes on to try to combat it.