§ Colonel Wedgwoodasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any persons have been prosecuted in connection with the stealing of the 2,000 sticks of gelignite near Falkirk; and whether any further thefts of that nature have occurred?
§ The Lord AdvocateOf the seven persons implicated in the Falkirk case, one has so far evaded arrest, and six have been prosecuted and have received sentences ranging up to 10 years' penal servitude. In one instance the conviction was subsequently quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal on the ground of insufficiency of evidence.
As regards the latter part of the question, a further alleged theft of a similar nature will be the subject of prosecution in the High Court on 8th August. So far as I am aware, no other cases of this nature have occurred for several months.