HC Deb 25 October 1960 vol 627 cc259-60W
Mr. Talbot

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Registrar of Companies is demanding, under threat of prosecution, annual returns in arrear that are eight years old; and why he insists on the delivery of this out of date information.

Mr. Maudling

Companies are required by the Companies Act to deliver certain documents such as Annual Returns to the Registrar so that they may be available on the company's file for public inspection. It cannot be assumed that information relating to a past period will not be wanted on such a search and the statutory record of the company is incomplete without it. When a company fails to comply with its obligations under the Act, it is the duty of the Registrar to take steps to secure that the missing documents are supplied.