If any person, in furnishing any information or making any application under or for the purposes of any provision of this Act, makes any statement which he knows to be false in a material particular, or recklessly makes any statement which is false in a material particular, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable—
on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
on conviction on indictment, to a fine.
Proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) above shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Secretary of State, the Minister or the Director of Public Prosecutions.