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Fraud Bill [HL]

Perhaps I may speak briefly to Amendment No. 20 in this group. I hope that the Government will have no difficulty in accepting it. The thrust of the Bill, as we have discussed, is to make dishonesty an element of fraud. However, Clause 6 leaves it open for a person to be guilty of an offence if he has,"““under his control any article for use in the course of or in connection with any fraud””," without knowing about it. An element of mens rea could simply be inserted into the clause—hence the word, ““knowingly””—that would avoid any possible doubt at any future stage.