Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill

The House of Commons debated and voted on the Lords amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill on Monday, 4 September 2023, and I voted against the Government’s motions to disagree with or amend the Lords amendments. The Bill was introduced to make Companies House hold more reliable data concerning companies and entities registered in the UK such as limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and limited partnerships (LPs). The Bill also aims to broaden the powers of Companies House to check, remove, or decline information submitted to, or already on, the register. However, the Government’s amendments do not go far enough, with amendment (a) to Lord Garnier’s amendment 151 exempting all businesses that do not qualify as “large organisations” from the ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence. This would essentially exempt 99.5% of businesses in the UK from being liable for fraud. 

The votes were as follows:

Ayes: 295 -Noes: 205 Amendment (a) made to Lords amendment 23. 

Ayes: 297 -Noes:209 Amendment (a) made to Lords amendment 151.

Ayes: 294 – Noes: 206 Lords amendment 117 disagreed to.

Ayes:291 – Noes: 209 Lords amendment 159 disagreed to.

Ayes: 292 -Noes: 206 Lords amendment 161 disagreed to.

The Bill has been passed back to the Lords for Consideration of Commons amendments.