Social Security Act 1973

General provisions as to prosecutions

1 Proceedings in England or Wales for an offence under this Act shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Secretary of State or by an inspector or other officer authorised for that purpose by special or general directions of the Secretary of State.

2 Any inspector or other officer so authorised may, although not of counsel or a solicitor, prosecute or conduct before a magistrates' court any proceedings for such an offence.

3 (1) Notwithstanding any enactment prescribing the period within which summary proceedings may be commenced, proceedings for an offence under this Act may be commenced at any time within the period of 3 months from the date on which evidence, sufficient in the opinion of the Secretary of State to justify a prosecution for the offence, comes to his knowledge, or within the period of 12 months after the commission of the offence, whichever period last expires.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) above, a certificate purporting to be signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of State as to the date on which the evidence referred to in that paragraph came to his knowledge shall be conclusive evidence of the date on which it did so.

(3) In relation to Scotland, for sub-paragraph (1) above there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—

“(1) Proceedings for an offence under this Act may be commenced at any time within the period of 3 months from the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Secretary of State to justify a report to the Lord Advocate with a view to consideration of the question of prosecution comes to the knowledge of the Secretary of State, or within the period of 12 months after the commission of the offence, whichever period last expires ; and section 23(2) of the [1954 c. 48.] Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act 1954 (time limits) shall apply for the purposes of this sub-paragraph as it applies for the purposes of that section.”

4 In proceedings for an offence under this Act, the wife or husband of the accused shall be competent to give evidence, whether for or against the accused:

Provided that the wife or husband shall not be compellable either to give evidence or, in giving evidence, to disclose any communication made to her or him by the accused during the marriage.