Finance Act 1974

22 (1) An authorised depositary who for the purposes of the preceding paragraph—

(a) gives with respect to any transfer of stock or marketable securities a certificate containing any statement which is false in a material particular ; or

(b) gives with respect to any such transfer a certificate indicating that the conditions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(a) and (b) of that paragraph are satisfied when either of those conditions is not satisfied,

shall be liable to a fine not exceeding the aggregate of £50 and an amount equal to twice the amount by which the stamp duty which ought to be charged in respect of the instrument in respect of which duty is chargeable in connection with the transfer exceeds the stamp duty paid in respect of that instrument.

(2) In any proceedings for the recovery of a fine under this paragraph it shall be a defence for the defendant to prove that at the time when he gave the certificate in question he had made all such enquiries as he ought reasonably to have made with respect to the matters covered by the certificate and neither knew nor had reason to believe that any of those matters was other than as stated in or indicated by the certificate.