Mr. Smithasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inquiries under section 109 of the Companies Act 1967 have been undertaken by his Department in each of the last three years; and how many prosecutions have resulted.
§ Mr. FletcherThe companies report, which my Department is required by section 451 of the Companies Act 1948 to lay before both Houses each year, gives details of the activities of the companies investigation branch. This includes details of the number of enquiries undertaken under section 109 of the Companies Act 1967, and of prosecutions successfully completed. Due to the time taken in bringing prosecutions, there is not necessarily any correlation between inquiries undertaken in any one year and proseutions completed.
The numbers are:
1981 1982 1983 Section 109 inquiries undertaken 98 79 103 Prosecutions completed 17 9 3