Clause 13
Fraud Bill [Lords]
5:15 pm
David Heath (Shadow Leader of the House of Commons & Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Cabinet Office; Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment No. 15, in clause 13, page 6, line 3, at end add
‘that the Secretary of State may by order prescribe.'.
First, I thank the Solicitor-General for his letter in response to my point made to his ministerial colleague on second reading. The intention of the amendment is to add clarity to subsection 4(b), which defines “related offence” as “conspiracy to defraud” and
“any other offence involving any form of fraudulent conduct or purpose.”
That definition does not have any clear indication of what appendices are intending to be included, and I accept that there are a finite number. It would be of value, in terms of clarity, if the Secretary of State prescribed the offences that he considers to be caught by that definition. Everyone would then be clear about which offences are being referred to in applying section 13. It is a fine point. The Solicitor-General may be able to help me out by saying whether he will accept the amendment or what his definition is—that will have almost the same effect—if he cares to read it into the transcript.