§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy with regard to the prosecution of those who commit business and personal fraud. [67319]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government have, for the first time, established overarching aims for the criminal justice system which include reducing crime and the fear of crime, and their social and economic costs. Individual Departments set their own aims and objectives within that framework, and that of the Serious Fraud Office is to contribute to the reduction of fraud and the cost of fraud and the maintenance of confidence in the United Kingdom's business and financial institutions. It seeks to achieve this through the investigation and prosecution of suitable cases as quickly as individual circumstances allow.
Fraud takes many forms and other specialist agencies (e.g. Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue and the Benefits Agency) as well as the police devote a significant portion of their resources to combating it through investigation and prosecution.