Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill on Tuesday 15 November 2022, Official Report, column 397, whether she has made an assessment of the prevalence of nominee partners being used to hide the person with significant influence or control over limited partnerships in the context of recent reports on that subject.

The Government is aware that limited partnerships are being misused by rogue actors. This is why we legislated for reform of the law governing limited partnerships via the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

Under these reforms, much more information will be required on the partners of all limited partnerships, leading to greater transparency. Companies House will also have greater powers to challenge, reject, share and remove suspicious information relating to limited partnerships.

In addition, the new Companies House intelligence hub will use data science to identify patterns and crack down on those trying to dodge the new requirements.