Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prosecutions there have been under the Auctions (Bidding Agreements) Act 1969, and whether in the light of apparent abuses they are satisfied both with the state of the law and with its observance.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Lucas of Chilworth)I understand, that between 1981 and 1983 there were 33 individual prosecutions in the Crown Court. Information on earlier prosecutions under this Act is not readily available.
I am conscious of interest generated in some quarters by certain articles in the press, but I am not aware of any recent abuses of the Act. If any person is in possession of evidence tending to show that a contravention of the Act has occurred, they should place that evidence in the hands of the police.