Terrorist Asset-Freezing Bill: committee stage
6 October 2010 (updated on 7 October 2010)
The Terrorist Asset-Freezing Bill completed its committee stage – the line-by-line examination of the Bill – in the House of Lords on Wednesday 6 October.
Lord Sassoon, Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, opened the debate introducing a proposal for an amendment to clause 2: Treasury's power to designate persons.
- Watch the committee stage of the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Bill
- Lords Hansard: Read a transcript of the committee stage of the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Bill
The main areas of discussions during the committee stage concerned:
- the ability to freeze the assets of persons suspected of involvement in terrorism
- provision for the assets of a person for more than 30 days where there is a reasonable belief that the individual is involved in terrorism early during an investigation
- the needs of and impact on the individual and the family of the individual whose assets are frozen.
Members discussed and agreed amendments to clause 2: Treasury's power to designate persons; clause 3: Notification of designation; clause 4: Duration of designation; clause 5: Variation or revocation of designation; clause 6: Confidential information; and clause 8: Making funds and economic or financial services available to designated person.
Members also agreed to amend the title of the Bill.
A list of all proposals for changes to the Bill are published in a marshalled list of amendments on the day before the Bill stage:
The date for the report stage of the Bill, which provides a further opportunity to amend the Bill, has yet to be confirmed.
Further information
Committee stage involves the detailed line-by-line examination of the separate parts (clauses and schedules) of the Bill. Any Member of the Lords can take part.
Committee stage can last for one or two days to eight or more. It usually starts no fewer than two weeks after the second reading.