§ Richard OttawayTo ask the Solicitor General what progress has been made in the investigation of suspected fraud in the National Health Service announced by the Serious Fraud Office on 10th April 2002. [100293]
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThe investigation concerns an allegation of a suspected price fixing cartel among those supplying prescribed penicillin based antibiotics and Warfarin to the National Health Service.
A large volume of paper documents and electronic material was seized in searches conducted in April 2002 at 28 addresses in England, Wales and Scotland.
The search involved over 150 officers drawn from the Metropolitan Police Fraud Squad, the Strathclyde Police and the National Crime Squad. Lawyers, accountants and forensic computer specialists from the SFO, other government departments, provincial police forces and private sector agencies, supported the Police.
The Director of the SFT assures me that good progress is being made and that the investigation is progressing.