Clause 32 - Customer information
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
9:15 am
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
Even though it is obvious that the Government will resist our amendments, I am grateful to the Minister for her comments.
I agree with the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome that one of the amendments in this group of three is more important than the other two. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) for his support, because he, like me, has worked at the sharp end of the banking industry and knows that such matters are important. It is important from the Government's point of view not to place any unreasonable demands on financial institutions, because, of course, the Government need financial institutions to co-operate with them—I see the
Minister nod in acknowledgement—so that they can work together to defeat international crime.
I was tempted to press at least one of the amendments to the vote, just to reinforce the point that Conservative Members feel strongly about these matters, but we shall reach some equally important matters later, when I can press the Minister again.