Clause 11 - Sending freezing orders
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
5:15 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
Again, I want to raise a couple of points in a couple of sentences so that they are not missed when the Bill is considered further. I am happy for the Minister to write to me and to other members
of the Committee rather than taking up the Committee's time this afternoon.
The clause deals with how domestic freezing orders, once made, will be transmitted to the country where the evidence is. Subsection (1)(b) states
''any authority recognised by the government of the country . . . as the appropriate authority''.
The Minister has just talked about the well-trodden ground between us when we discussed the Extradition Bill. There may be problems with some countries that might recognise authorities as appropriate authorities in those countries, but we in this country might not be happy with them. Will the Minister say what the safeguards are?
On 23 January, on the second day in Committee in another place, at columns GC61 to 64, there was an extensive debate about time limits. Lord Carlisle of Bucklow made some points that I do not believe were fully answered by the Government in the other place. I should be grateful if the Minister would take on board the fact that Opposition Members share the concerns expressed by Lord Carlisle. The Minister probably cannot respond in detail today, but once again I hope that he can write to me.