§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now introduce legislation to increase the penalty of £1,000 for each offence of failure by a registered company to make an annual return to the Registrar of Companies.
§ Mr. FletcherThe penalty for a company failing to make its annual return was recently increased by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to £2,000 for offences committed after 1 May 1984. This is the statutory maximum. The penalty for not sending the annual return to the registrar of companies will be increased to £2,000 when the companies consolidation legislation comes into force. There are no plans for further increases.