§ Mr. Gorstasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that, when investigating officers from his Department enter private premises with a warrant and 221W seize documents, they either return those documents or, if appropriate, prefer charges within a reasonable period of time; what the maximum recorded duration for any such investigation has or will have been; and if he will take steps to limit the duration of the seizure of documents, without the preferment of charges, to a period not exceeding 30 months.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1981, c. 60]: Yes, I am satisfied that in such circumstances documents are returned or, if appropriate, charges preferred within a reasonable time. The longest recorded investigation has lasted nearly two and a half years from the initial seizure of documents. The Keith committee is considering the search powers of the Revenue Departments and it would be wrong to anticipate its conclusions.