New Clause 20 - Information notices

National Security Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:15 pm on 18 October 2022.

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“(1) The Secretary of State may give an information notice to—

(a) a person who is a party to a foreign activity arrangement registered under section (Requirement to register foreign activity arrangements);

(b) a person who is a party to a foreign activity arrangement which is required to be, but is not, registered under that section;

(c) a person who has registered activities under section (Requirement to register activities of specified persons);

(d) a person the Secretary of State reasonably believes to be carrying out an activity in breach of the prohibition in that section.

(2) The Secretary of State may give an information notice to—

(a) a person who is a party to a foreign influence arrangement registered under section (Requirement to register foreign influence arrangements);

(b) a person who is a party to a foreign influence arrangement which is required to be, but is not, registered under that section;

(c) a person who has registered activities under section (Requirement to register political influence activities of foreign principals);

(d) a person the Secretary of State reasonably believes to be carrying out a political influence activity in breach of the prohibition in that section.

(3) An information notice is a notice requiring the person to whom it is given to supply the information specified in the notice.

(4) An information notice must—

(a) specify the form in which the information must be supplied, and

(b) specify the date by which the information must be supplied.

(5) Where an information notice has been given to a person, the Secretary of State may cancel it by giving written notice to that effect to the person.

(6) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about—

(a) the minimum period between the date on which an information notice is given and the date specified under subsection (4)(b);

(b) other matters which may be specified in an information notice;

(c) the cancellation of information notices.

(7) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person fails to comply with an information notice.

(8) The Secretary of State may not give an information notice to a foreign power.”

This new clause permits the Secretary of State to give a notice to a person to provide information in connection with arrangements or activities registrable under the registration scheme.

Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.