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2,740 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)I am grateful. Of course, my target will certainly be 100%; I cannot imagine why it would not be. The 28 days refers to the time that relevant legal entities will have to rectify…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)As I understand it, Companies House makes the decision under delegated authority. On trading styles or business names, which the shadow Minister mentioned, that is clearly not…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I am happy to do that. The issue is in the drafting. I had to read this on a number of occasions and speak to officials before I got my head around it, but the provision achieves…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)Again, if the hon. Gentleman reads that in the context of clause 14(5)(2), he will understand that it is a fixed period of time. That is what companies will be given.01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)The point is there may well be valid circumstances where a company might take longer than 28 days, for example if it needs to seek a resolution from its shareholders or directors.…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I will address the hon. Gentleman’s points in my full response. There are some amendments we have tabled that address his exact points, and I would like to speak to those in…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)rose—01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Bardell. As Members will have noted, this group is large and includes both amendments and clauses. The hon. Member for…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)It is in the Bill. The point is that the company, in some circumstances, can effectively apply to have that time period extended. That is the point of this; that is where the “at…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)We need to allow for some discretion when certain companies cannot comply because of certain consequences and for whatever reason. As a simple example, a company might have to get…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)The objectives promote the integrity of the register. That is quite clear. The registrar therefore has the responsibility to act. The intelligence and information available to her…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I apologise. I will not do it again. Clause 15 makes a set of changes in how objections to a company name are to be considered by the company names adjudicator, established under…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)That is the reason why the clause is drafted in that way, but I will come back to the hon. Gentleman’s point before the end of my remarks. The ability to direct a change of a…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)If I may, I will come back to the hon. Gentleman on that point once I have some information on it from my officials. Clause 17 will give the Secretary of State the ability to…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I will come to that, but the hon. Gentleman’s solution to that does not give any discretion should a company need more time. [Interruption.]01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)As I said before, I think the Bill achieves the same objective; it might not be with the words of the hon. Gentleman’s choosing, but I think the objective is served by the…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I am happy to. I think we would all acknowledge that, due to various reasons beyond any of our controls, tribunals have fallen behind in the cases they are hearing. I am very…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)Permission should certainly be sought; it is just that some people do not seek permission. That is the point behind the clause. We are putting provisions in place to clamp down on…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)Let me develop my point a little bit. The meaning is clearly defined in the Bill: an appropriate address is an address where it can be reasonably expected that documents sent to…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I draw the Committee’s attention to the wording of clause 28, on an “appropriate address”: “A company must ensure that its registered office is at all times at an appropriate…01 Nov 2022