Clause 15 - Nominating a court etc. to receive evidence
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
10:15 am
Mr Bob Ainsworth (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Coventry North East, Labour)
The hon. Lady suggests a request for evidence from an overseas authority. It is difficult for me to respond off the top of my head. I do not see how, by the mere fact of having established an agency to try to seize and confiscate criminal assets, we can or should refuse to give mutual legal assistance on requests from abroad. I am not certain that one will cut across the other. I am happy to explore that outside with the hon. Lady, to try to satisfy her that that is not the case. I know that she is concerned that the Assets Recovery Agency should be as effective as possible, especially in Northern Ireland. I am reaching for her concerns, but I do not understand how those arise as a result of our giving mutual legal assistance and cutting across the Assets Recovery Agency.