Corporate Transparency and Economic Crime

Nigel Evans Excerpts

Monday 28th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

Order. I was very generous with Dame Margaret Hodge, for obvious reasons, but I shall be less generous now in respect of the length of questions. You are all warned.

[Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon) (Con)]

I welcome the statement. While I fully support efforts to have the means to investigate criminality and sanctions-busting schemes at Companies House—and I hope that that will be properly funded, because it will be expensive to carry out—I also hope that the process of registration will not be burdened to the extent that we lose competitive advantage and throw the baby out with the bathwater.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

The hon. Gentleman is experienced enough a parliamentarian to know that the idea of freezing assets is outside the scope of this legislation—indeed, it is outside the scope of my Department. The Government are looking at a range of other measures that may well reflect the concerns he has described.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

I thank the Business Secretary for coming to the House, making his statement and answering questions from hon. Members for about three quarters of an hour.