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Regulators: Criminal Prosecutions

Volume 698: debated on Tuesday 29 January 2008

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of (a) the British Hallmarking Council; (b) the Coal Authority; (c) the Compensation Commission; (d) the Office of Communications; and (e) the Office of Fair Trading, how many criminal prosecutions were brought by that regulator for each of the last three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1374]

(a) British Hallmarking Council—No criminal prosecutions or convictions in the last three years.

(b) Coal Authority—No criminal prosecutions or convictions in the last three years.

(c) Compensation Commission—We presume this was supposed to be referring to the “Competition Commission”, in which case there have been no criminal prosecutions or convictions in the last three years.

(d) Office of Communications—

Year

Prosecutions

Convictions

2005

61

61

2006

66

66

2007

46

45

(e) Office of Fair Trading—The OFT has not brought any criminal prosecutions in the last three years. However, in December 2007, the Metropolitan Police, on behalf of and at the request of the OFT, charged three individuals with criminal price fixing under Section 188 of the Enterprise Act 2002. It is fully anticipated that a prosecution will follow.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of (a) the Football Licensing Authority; (b) the Gambling Commission; and (c) the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, how many criminal prosecutions were brought by that regulator for each of the last three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1375]

Within each of the last three years no criminal prosecutions were brought by (a) the Football Licensing Authority or (b) the Gambling Commission (prior to 1 September 2007 neither the Gambling Commission or its predecessor the Gaming Board held powers of prosecution). The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (c) has brought one prosecution within this period which led to a conviction.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many criminal prosecutions were brought by the Information Commissioner for each of the last three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1392]

The information requested is in the following table:

Data Protection Act

Freedom of Information

Prosecutions

Convictions

Prosecutions

Convictions

2004-05

18

17

n/a

n/a

2005-06

16

16

0

0

2006-07

13

13

1

1

Year To Date

8

5

0

0