Clause 24 - Inadequacy of available amount:
Proceeds of Crime Bill
5:15 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I may have solved a potential problem for the Minister. He will note that, with one significant difference, the last two lines of subsection (3) are identical to those under clause 22(7), which my hon. Friends the Members for Spelthorne and for Beaconsfield and I were worried may be ambiguous. Subsection (3) states:
``it may vary the order by substituting for the amount required to be paid such smaller amount as the court believes is just.''
Substituting the word ``smaller'' with the word ``larger'' would solve the problem to which we referred when debating clause 22. Because the same words are used in the provisions, albeit with the addition of ``smaller'', there is no reason why we should not add the word ``larger'' under clause 22(7) and thus achieve the clarification that we wanted when the Minister kindly accepted that we were not trying to water down the Bill. I hope that my suggestion has been helpful to the Minister and his officials.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 24 ordered to stand part of the Bill.