§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the differences between the investigations carried out by his Department and by the Serious Fraud Office.
§ Mr. RedwoodUnder the Companies Act, where there is good reason, the Department of Trade and Industry investigates complaints about companies: these inquiries are essentially fact-finding.
The SFO is a criminal enforcement agency which investigates and prosecutes cases of suspected serious and complex criminal fraud whether or not they concern companies.