§ MR. WATTI beg to ask the Lord Advocate if he is aware that merchants and traders in Scotland are finding that the Corrupt Practices Act of 1906 is being systematically ignored, in that bribes from sellers are being regularly accepted by servants of buyers; that these sellers fear to expose such bribery, holding that their position would be made worse by so doing; and if he will indicate what line of action the prosecuting authorities are prepared to take in dealing with this state of matters.
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. THOMAS SHAW,) Hawick BurghsNo reports have reached me as to the failure of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906, to the extent suggested by my hon. friend. No doubt there may be evasions in the circumstances mentioned; but the only course that can be followed by the criminal authorities is to set the machinery of the Act in motion when contraventions of its provisions come to their notice by information lodged or otherwise.