Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to The Register of Overseas Entities (Protection and Trusts) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, when applicants are required to demonstrate a legitimate interest; how this differs from information required on application under Regulation 4(1).
Under these regulations the presumption is that trust data on the Register of Overseas Entities will normally be disclosed when requested. Most applications will not require the applicant to demonstrate any legitimate interest. Legitimate interest applies where trust data involves a minor or multiple entities. In such cases, applicants must demonstrate their request relates to the investigation of possible money laundering, tax evasion, terrorist financing or sanctions breaches, make a statement it is to further their investigation and explain the information's intended use.
A legitimate interest must be shown for each new application.
The registrar will consider any appropriate restrictions on the use and further disclosure of trust information before disclosing this information to a successful applicant. The applicant may publish this information unless the registrar has imposed a restriction on its further disclosure.