In section 1059A (scheme of Part 35), in subsection (4), at the appropriate place insert—

• “section 1110D (power to require businesses to report discrepancies),”.

After section 1110C (inserted by section 67 of this Act) insert—

“Discrepancy reporting

1110DPower to require businesses to report discrepancies

(1)

The Secretary of State may by regulations impose requirements on a person who is carrying on business in the United Kingdom (a “relevant person”)—

(a)

to obtain specified information about a customer (or prospective customer)—

(i)

before entering into a business relationship with them, or

(ii)

during a business relationship with them,

(b)

to identify discrepancies between information so obtained and information made publicly available by the registrar, and

(c)

to report any discrepancies to the registrar.

(2)

The regulations may require the relevant person, when reporting discrepancies, to provide such other information as may be required by the regulations (including information about the relevant person).

(3)

The regulations may provide for reports or other information delivered to the registrar under the regulations to be withheld from public inspection.

(4)

The regulations may create offences in relation to failures to comply with requirements imposed by the regulations.

(5)

The regulations may not provide for an offence created by the regulations to be punishable with imprisonment for a period exceeding—

(a)

in the case of conviction on indictment, 2 years;

(b)

in the case of summary conviction, 3 months.

(6)

In this section “customer”, in relation to a person carrying out estate agency work, includes a purchaser (as well as a seller).

(7)

Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.”