Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, the amendments in this group are probing and relate to the powers of confiscation, and the power to retain seized property that will become available to accredited financial investigators and to, ""a member of staff of the relevant director"." In another place similar amendments were tabled and the Government provided assurances about the training and monitoring of accredited financial investigators. However, there still remains the question of how appropriate it is to grant such significant powers to people who are not warranted police officers, officers of the Serious Organised Crime Agency or from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, and accredited financial investigators are simply defined by order of the Secretary of State. It would be very helpful if the Minister would confirm who is considered to be an accredited financial investigator and what plans, if any, the Government have to extend that definition. It is very important that we know the type of individual who is going to be doing this kind of job. There is also the question of how these investigators are to work alongside law enforcement officers. In their 2006 consultation document, New Powers against Organised and Financial Crime, the Government said: ""Financial investigators are becoming more independent from police in their work and therefore to give them the full range of powers would be beneficial"." My question to the Minister is: how can support staff be independent from the investigations and the law enforcement officers that they should be assisting? Finally, can the Minister confirm who is classed as, ""a member of staff of the relevant director"?" I am unclear about that. I beg to move.