§ 8. Mr. HINDLEasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of prosecutions directed and convictions obtained during the last three years for offences against the provisions of the Registration of Business Names Act, 1916; and what proportion of such offenders were aliens?
Mr. WEBBAs the answer to this question is rather long, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:
The number of prosecutions directed by the Board of Trade during the last three years for offences against the provisions of the Registration of Business 221 Names Act, 1916, is 32, involving the issue of 42 summonses. The result of these prosecutions may be stated shortly as follows:
Twenty-six convictions were obtained, 6 summonses withdrawn, for various reasons, 3 summonses dismissed, 3 summonses not served because the defendants could not be traced. Two summonses were dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act, and in two cases the defendants were bound over, but ordered to pay the costs. The number of aliens who were convicted in the foregoing proceedings was two.
In addition to the prosecutions directed by the Board of Trade, proceedings have in numerous cases been taken by the local police authorities throughout the country, but I have no information as to the nationality of the defendants in those proceedings, or the result.