HL Deb 18 January 1993 vol 541 c61WA
Lord Spens

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many notices to date have been issued by the Serious Fraud Office under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 to:

  1. (a) individuals;
  2. (b) companies;
  3. (c) other organisations;
what percentage of those notices have resulted in criminal charges; and how many convictions have been secured which have not been overturned on appeal to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).

The Lord Chancellor

Since the office began operations in April 1988, a total of 3,004 notices have been issued under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987. They fall into the following categories:

  1. (a) Companies: 605
  2. (b) Banks and building societies: 1,365
  3. (c) Individuals: 550
  4. (d) Others (this includes solicitors and accountants): 484.
Since the Serious Fraud Office was established a total of 142 people have been convicted. A further six persons have been convicted but had their convictions quashed on appeal. The decision not to prosecute is taken on the totality of the evidence in the particular case and prosecutions cannot therefore be attributed to any individual requirement made under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987.