Part of Proceeds of Crime Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:45 am on 13 November 2001.
I agree with everything that my hon. Friend has said.
I wish the Minister to keep in mind a different matter, which might become serious—although at the moment it may seem petty and silly. Subsection (5) states:
``Anything which the Director is authorised or required to do may be done by—
(a) a member of staff of the Agency, or
(b) a person providing services under arrangements made by the Director''.
The director is entitled to appoint people all the way down through the system—to the office cleaners, for example—and he is entitled to arrange services, such as those provided by the outside contractors who do the catering for his staff. I am sure that the Government do not intend to allow such people to deal with some of the highly sensitive matters that the Bill addresses. Is the Minister prepared to register that point, and if Members from my party choose to revisit it, will he clarify the fact that certain services or activities should be handled only by senior people? It might be necessary to ask for changes to be made.