HC Deb 21 June 1961 vol 642 cc146-7W
Mr. Darling

asked the President of the Board of Trade in how many cases of misleading or false descriptions of goods proceedings have been taken by him, and by organisations authorised by him, such as the Retail Trading Standards Association, under the relevant Sections of the Merchandise Marks Acts.

Mr. Maudling

Since it is open to anybody to take proceedings in respect of the matters referred to by the hon. Member, there is no need for the Board of Trade to authorise other organisations to take such proceedings and the Board of Trade has no record of their number. Particulars of prosecutions by the Board of Trade in each quinquennium since 1888 are as follows:

Period. Number of Prosecutions.
1888–1892 6
1893–1897 12
1898–1902 4
1903–1907 5
1908–1912 17
1913–1917 37
1918–1922 6
1923–1927 5
1928–1932 10
1933–1937 17
1938–1942 14
1943–1947 1
1948–1952 2
1953–1957 72
1958-to date 44