Draft Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015
The Committee consisted of the following Members:
Ali, Rushanara (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)
Beith, Sir Alan (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (LD)
Blears, Hazel (Salford and Eccles) (Lab)
†Bradley, Karen (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department)
†Burrowes, Mr David (Enfield, Southgate) (Con)
†Clappison, Mr James (Hertsmere) (Con)
Cunningham, Sir Tony (Workington) (Lab)
†Dromey, Jack (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)
†Hart, Simon (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
†Hemming, John (Birmingham, Yardley) (LD)
†Hinds, Damian (East Hampshire) (Con)
†Lansley, Mr Andrew (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)
†Loughton, Tim (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
Meacher, Mr Michael (Oldham West and Royton) (Lab)
Paisley, Ian (North Antrim) (DUP)
†Pincher, Christopher (Tamworth) (Con)
Robinson, Mr Geoffrey (Coventry North West) (Lab)
†Wilson, Phil (Sedgefield) (Lab)
Anna Dickson, Committee Clerk
† attended the Committee
Third Delegated Legislation Committee
Tuesday 6 January 2015
[Nadine Dorries in the Chair]
Draft Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015
2.30pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Karen Bradley): I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries.
The order amends section 195S of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to add immigration officers to the list of officers who are covered by the related code of practice. Their omission was an oversight due to other amendments made to these provisions by Northern Ireland devolution legislation. It was, you might say, a slipped stitch.
This order rectifies the error by adding immigration officers to section 195S. It is important for immigration officers to be subject to a code of practice in order to provide a public safeguard that they use the search,
seizure and detention powers in a lawful, proportionate and effective manner. The order achieves this, ensuring that the future code of practice will apply to immigration officers.I commend the order to the Committee.
2.31 pm
Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries.
We had a good debate yesterday on the proceeds of crime in which there was a strong view across the House that we should send an unmistakeable message to criminals that there will be no hiding place for them and that we intend to recover the proceeds of crime. We welcome that debate and some of the moves that the Government have made, not least following the report last year from the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee that, at the moment, we are recovering only 26p in every £100. The fact that we are making significant progress in toughening the law is very welcome. Today we are closing a loophole. I agree entirely with the Minister that there was an oversight at the time, and the order puts that right. It makes a great deal of sense, not least because of the role of immigration officers in the serious strategy towards the proceeds of crime.
We are pleased to support the order.