Member

This amendment does not weaken the powers in the Bill; it strengthens their legitimacy. It reinforces the idea that public/private co-operation works best when it is built on partnership, not pressure. It sends a clear signal that the Government recognise the vital contribution of the banking sector in tackling fraud, and that this contribution should not come at unreasonable or unacknowledged cost. It is a thoughtful, proportionate and constructive proposal, and I urge the Committee and the Minister to view it in that spirit.