Clause 48 - ENTRY TO PREMISES UNDER WARRANT
Consumer Credit Bill
10:15 am
Mr Alistair Burt (Parliamentary Private Secretaries To Leader of the Opposition; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative)
I wish to reinforce the concerns raised by my hon. Friend. This issue represents another example of the extension of powers. With regard to my earlier question, if the information is not available to the Committee today, perhaps the Minister could write to Committee members. What circumstances have arisen regarding the supervisory authorities so that they now require such powers? Are there occasions when the authorities have been convinced that some irregularity exists, when information was available that would help in the pursuance of a case against someone whom they wished to charge under this or a similar Act, and they simply failed to obtain it because they were not quick enough or because the process of discovery through civil proceedings did not bring that information to light? This is quite heavy stuff.
None of us would resist giving the authorities the ability to acquire information in circumstances where people have been badly let down or are being adversely affected by the inappropriate activities of those who, alas, sometimes operate in the industry. However, the powers are very extensive; people with a warrant will be able to knock on doors, enter premises and seize whatever they choose. If the powers are justified, my concern is to establish where the need has, technically, come from. What have the authorities said to the Government to show that they need extra powers in addition to those that they already possess? In the general context of the Bill, it would be helpful—bearing in mind the powers that we are seeking to exercise on behalf of consumers, who are the worst hit when things go wrong—if some evidence could be given as to why such sweeping powers are necessary.