§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants are currently engaged in investigating alleged fraudulent trading and kindred offences.
§ Mr. NobleApproximately 100 civil servants employed by the Department of Trade and Industry are currently inquiring into,inter alia, possible fraudulent trading under Section 332(3) of the Companies Act, 1948, in connection with 111 companies. It is not possible to give figures for other possible offences under inquiry.
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§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the number of convictions under Section 332(3) of the Companies Act, 1948 in regard to fraudulent trading in each year since 1968.
§ Mr. NobleConvictions under Section 332(3) of the Companies Act, 1948, in respect of prosecutions by the Department of Trade and Industry totalled 9, 8, 5 and 13, respectively for the four years 1968 to 1971 inclusive. Statistics of prosecutions and convictions under the Companies Acts and other legislation appear in the companies annual reports, which are available in the Library. Fradulent trading is also prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and by police prosecuting authorities.