§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those cases resulting in conviction on charges brought by the Crown Office fraud unit since its formation; and what were the dates of those convictions.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIt is not the policy of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate to make known historic information which identifies cases against individuals, in particular where they have served their sentences. In accordance with that policy, the annual 271W report for the Crown Office and procurator fiscal service for 1991–92, which was placed in the Library, gives details, omitting names and dates, of cases which were prepared by the Crown Office fraud unit and were disposed of during that period. Between the establishment of the unit in 1984 and 1991 a total of 65 persons were convicted in cases which were prepared for prosecution by the fraud unit. Since the period 1991–92 three persons have been convicted of offences in three separate cases, two involving fraud and one of corruption, and they were respectively sentenced to imprisonment for three years and four years and to pay a fine of £400. Criminal proceedings are pending in eight cases, and in two further cases warrants have been issued for the arrest of the accused.