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HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)If it is an example where 2,000 companies are registered at an address near Edinburgh, and somebody tries to register that address, that may well lead to a red flag. Companies…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 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I hear clearly the comments made on both sides of the argument, but I think the provisions in the Bill do tackle the issues that Members are trying to tackle—01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)The right hon. Lady should let me develop my argument, if she does not mind. We are all aware of the frequent problems that arise when criminals incorporate companies using an…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)Let me just finish the other critical part of the definition. An appropriate address is an address where an acknowledgement of the delivery of documents is capable of being…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)There are 4.5 million companies in the UK—01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)And I do not think the right hon. Lady imagines that the registrar could go around them all. I am glad we agree on that.01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)As for the period of compliance, we will let hon. Member know. There is a huge volume of records. We want Companies House to be more proactive. We do not want it to be swamped by…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)I would like to finish the point. The key point is that the measure requires the people who control the company, be it the directors or persons of significant control, to make…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)No, and I will come to that point shortly. Clause 29 provides an important new power for the registrar to deal effectively with those abusing our systems. As we have discussed and…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)That is something that we will need to see—the plan for Companies House and the resources needed for that. A figure of £50 or £100 was quoted; if the company formation fee was…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Sixth sitting)If the right hon. Lady looks at the literal interpretation of her amendment, she will see that it puts an obligation on Companies House to check every single address in the UK. It…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Robertson, and to speak after the right hon. Member for Barking. As she knows, and I hope all Committee members know, I am—like…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)I am grateful for the right hon. Gentleman’s work in this area. We should not get into semantics. The key point, as he says, is making sure that we have a plan that sits behind…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)I take the right hon. Lady’s point, but I do not agree. Clearly, we will seek to improve many things as the Bill goes through its various stages. However, if we look at the…01 Nov 2022HANSARDEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (Fifth sitting)Those words will live with me as long as I am in Parliament.01 Nov 2022HANSARD Employment Relations (Flexible Working) BillThank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I associate myself with the comments made about those 40 years of service by our colleague, the right hon. and learned Member for Camberwell and…28 Oct 2022