New clause 5 - Annual report on effects of requests for banking information
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
3:30 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
In a moment, but before I do so, I want to stress what Lord Monson said. When making reference to my noble Friend Lord Renton, he said:
''we are in uncharted waters. Parliamentarians and the public have a right to know the cost to the taxpayer of complying with the requests and to know how often such requests are made.''
Lord Monson forcefully made the point that it is not a matter of probing or calling for an annual report for the sake of it. Lord Renton said:
''The Bill breaks new ground internationally and will affect people's rights all over the world—potentially, at any rate. We should know, from time to time, what progress has been made in implementing it.
The new clause merely asks for details of the effects of requests for banking information. That is not a big demand, but it is important, and I would have hoped that the Government would be sympathetic.''—[Official Report, House of Lords, 27 January 2003; Vol. 643, c. GC142.]
Such a statement encapsulates our case in a nutshell.