§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies still registered have not filed accounts since 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively; how many of these are breaking the law; and how many legal cases have been brought against defaulting companies in 1970, 1971 and 1972.
§ Sir G. HoweIt will not be possible to answer the first part of the Question with-
140Wavailable to me are given below, for the largest companies in terms of turnover. The full range of information requested is available only for Japanese industrial companies; turnover figures are also given for the five largest Japanese trading companies:
out disproportionate cost until the process of computerising the records has been completed. Prosecutions against companies for failure to forward annual returns—with the related accounts—in 1970, 1971 and 1972 were 284, 517 and 731 respectively.