Extracts from report stage (Lords) of the National Insurance Contributions Bill - Feb 7

Baroness Kramer (LD):...Civil society groups and activists across the globe can examine records and registers when they are public, and can alert the enforcement and regulatory agencies. I think we all acknowledge that those enforcement and regulatory agencies have far too few staff and resources to do the work alone without the information flow from civil society and activist groups. I could send your Lordships to many sources that describe the shortage of resources in enforcement, but I will simply quote the National Crime Agency’s inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in July 2021—only seven months ago. It says very clearly:

“There is insufficient capacity in the investigations command to meet the demand”.

We cannot rely solely on enforcement to keep freeports clean...

Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con):...I turn now to freeports, which are really the subject of the remarks of both the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and the noble Lord, Lord Tunnicliffe. We have gone further: throughout the bidding process and subsequent business case processes, prospective freeports have been required to set out how they will manage the risk of illicit activity, with those plans being scrutinised by officials in the Border Force, HMRC, the National Crime Agency and others...

To read the whole debate, CLICK HERE