§ Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the companies investigated by inquiries conducted by inspectors appointed by his Department during the 10 years ended 30th September 1975, setting out the dates on which interviews commenced and when the inquiry reports were published; and if he will indicate the cases in which transcripts of evidence taken were released to the police or the Director of Public Prosecutions before the final reports were published and in which cases transcripts of evidence were given to third parties without the agreement or knowledge of the witnesses concerned.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisI assume that my right hon. Friend is referring to the investigations under the Companies Act 1948. In the period mentioned there have been 174 appointments of inspectors. The information asked for is not readily available without undue expense.
§ Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will grant access to the transcripts of evidence of official inquiries conducted by inspectors appointed by his Department to the defence in cases when the transcripts have been or are being made available to the police or the Director of Public Prosecutions who are conducting a prosecution.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisI have no power to grant access to all the transcripts of evidence given before the inspectors except under an order of the court. Such evidence is deemed to be confidential. So far as transcripts have been made available to the Director of Public Prosecutions, it is a matter for him to bring 649W any relevant information to the attention of the court.
§ Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his authority is necessary to allow transcripts of evidence taken at official inquiries undertaken by his Department to be released to the police or Director of Public Prosecutions in advance of the completion of the reports.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisI assume my right hon. Friend is referring to investigations under the Companies Act 1948. Transcripts of evidence are deemed to be confidential, but may be disclosed by me to the police or the Director of Public Prosecutions in appropriate cases.