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Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009

My Lords, I am afraid that these are rather unhappy regulations in that they have come out of a rather bad situation—that is, people effectively being persecuted by certain groups for carrying out legal activities. I think of the Huntingdon Life Sciences Company lobby. Unfortunately, extremists got hold of a cause in which there had been a respectable tradition of protest—even if you did not agree with it—and the company was then corrupted and almost destroyed in the public’s estimation. Therefore, I think we all agree that these regulations are not brought forward in happy circumstances. The regulations are definitely a necessary evil, as has been proven over a long period for those concerned. However, the points that the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, has just made are relevant in relation to the question of what guidance is available for the normal process of commerce that is allowed to take place. Has some consideration been given to that? We need to bring in these regulations but we need to ask what ways there are round them. I should be interested to know whether the Government have considered these matters. It was suggested to me that being able to check criminality in trading practices might cause a problem. I do not think that it would be a big enough problem to outweigh the fundamental need to ensure the safety of the people behind it, but I wonder whether the Government have considered that they might have to deal with that. I realise that it is a circle that has to be squared but I should just like to hear how far the thinking has gone on that. It is a shame that the regulations have to be brought forward but I wish them well.