§ 38. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Attorney-General when he first received information concerning the illegal practices known as cube-cutting; when he first decided to hold an investigation ; and when he now expects to be able to announce a conclusion to these investigations.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI first received information alleging cube-cutting on the 23rd January, 1969; on the 29th January, I asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to arrange for these allegations to be investigated by the police. The task of investigation has proved to be complicated and considerable, and I cannot forecast when it will be completed ; it necessarily involves a study of a great number of difficult commercial documents belonging to a number of shipping companies with which the shipping agents concerned did business.
§ Mr. LewisSurely there is enough information for some action to be taken? Five months have gone by. Can my right hon. and learned Friend give us some hope that, for instance, before the present Parliament ends action may be taken, or must it be left to the next Parliament?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI hope that my hon. Friend will agree that premature action which might produce no result or an unjust one would be unsatisfactory. The matter is being pressed with the utmost expedition.
§ Mr. HoggWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman assist me in my ignorance, which may be shared by some other hon. Members? What is cube-cutting?
§ The Attorney-GeneralIt is the practice of diminishing the weight actually carried in cargoes for the benefit of shipping agents.