§ Sir Geoffrey FinsbergTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many candidates in each of the general elections of 1979, 1983 and 1987 failed to submit a return of their election expenses to the returning officer, and in how many cases prosecutions have been instituted as the result of such failures.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe information requested is as follows:
1979 1983 1987 Number of candidates who failed to submit a return within the statutory period allowed 19 21 15 Number of prosecutions 4 1— 2— 1 None. 2 Not yet available. I understand that the Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet decided in every case whether to institute proceedings in respect of the candidates who failed to submit a return after the 1987 general election.