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Written question asked by Lord Sikka (Labour) on Thursday, 14 January 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 28 January 2021. It was answered by Lord Stewart of Dirleton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 26 January 2021 on behalf of the Attorney General.

HBOS: Fraud

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government, how many (1) bank directors, (2) insolvency practitioners, (3) estate agents, (4) lawyers, and (5) accountants, have been prosecuted since the publication of the report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking Project Lord Turnbull report, published on 22 June 2018.

Answer

The Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’) do not have a mechanism for recording the profession of defendants and so are unable to provide the data requested.

The CPS continue to play an important role in prosecuting professionals, whether they be professionals who have used their position to commit crimes or whether they have enabled others to commit crimes. This includes bank directors, insolvency practitioners, estate agents, lawyers, and accountants.

It is important that alongside prosecuting professional individuals, prosecutors should have the right tools to pursue and prosecute corporate bodies. In November last year, this government announced the Law Commission Project on Corporate Criminal Liability, which will be conducted over a 12-month period with a view to setting out potential options for reform.

The above answer represents the position for England and Wales only, and not for Scotland, for which the data, if available, would be held by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL12174
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Fraud Prosecutions HBOS
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk