Thank you, convener. I will try to keep my introductory remarks brief. I will first explain the accelerated timescale that we now find ourselves working to with the LCM.
The Criminal Finances Bill has always had a tight legislative timetable, and the Prime Minister’s decision to hold a United Kingdom general election on 8 June has forced the process to be expedited further. Although that may be unsatisfactory, the Scottish Government is keen to see the bill’s provisions apply in Scotland and is supportive of the supplementary legislative consent motion being agreed in line with that accelerated timescale and in advance of the dissolution of the UK Parliament.
The bill is intended to strengthen the capabilities and powers that law enforcement agencies and partners have to recover the proceeds of crime, tackling money laundering, corruption and counter-terrorism financing. The Scottish Government shares those objectives. Indeed, in our programme for government for 2016-17, we committed to press the UK Government to strengthen proceeds of crime legislation, including by enabling the police to seize betting slips and casino chips from criminals. It is good to see those changes now being delivered.
The committee previously considered and reported on the original LCM, alongside my letters to you of 20 January and 24 February, and the Parliament voted to pass the original motion on 2 March. The supplementary LCM sets out relevant amendments that have been tabled since my letter of 24 February.
This is probably a good moment to confirm that the possible amendment to what was clause 51 and is now clause 53, concerning the power to make consequential provisions, which I referred to in the supplementary LCM, has now been lodged by Home Office ministers and will be considered by the House of Lords today. In addition, amendments to part 10 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, which concerns information sharing, which are flagged up in my letter of 24 February and in the supplementary LCM, have been expanded to include information sharing about two additional aspects of civil recovery: the recovery of listed assets and the forfeiture of bank accounts. I now make clear that proceeds of crime-related information can be shared with HM Revenue and Customs and the Financial Conduct Authority. Those amendments are intended to further strengthen and improve recovery of the proceeds of crime, as is the bill as a whole. I encourage the committee to support them.
I thank the committee for agreeing to consider the supplementary memorandum at such short notice, which ensures that a vote can take place in Parliament this afternoon on the supplementary motion.