Bankrupts

HC Deb 27 June 1977 vol 934 cc27-8

27. Mr. Michael Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he intends to introduce Section 7 and Section 8 of the Insolvency Act 1976.

Mr. Clinton Davis

It is hoped to bring these sections into force on 1st October 1977.

Mr. Marshall

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply. He will recall that this Question follows correspondence that I have had with him about a constituent of mine. Does he not agree that delays of this kind are worrying because they cause not only financial loss but considerable hardship to many businesses? Does he have proposals to improve the situation for the future?

Mr. Davis

The situation was complex. There has to be an amendment of the bankruptcy rules, which by their very nature are complicated. That had to be cleared by the Insolvency Rules Advisory Committee, set up under the Insolvency Act 1976, and it could not be done by June as I had hoped. It is now to be done in October. But this is a significant advance in the general position on what had been achieved before. I think that the hon. Gentleman's constituent will receive a significant benefit from the working of the Act.

are many motives for Russian intervention in Southern Africa and not just this one. This, however, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Following is the information:

Mr. Skinner

Is it not also true to say that Mr. Kenneth Cork has been set up as chairman of this review committee to look into the question of so-called small-time bankruptcies? If that is the case, why do not he and the Government turn their attention to the councillors at Clay Cross who were made bankrupt and had their cars taken away along with various other goods and possessions? Should they not be discharged from bankruptcy in order that they can take a proper and honourable part in civic life again, since they have done nothing wrong in any case apart from carrying out Labour Party policy?

Mr. Davis

I find it a little difficult to see how that specific matter arises from the Question on the Order Paper. My hon. Friend has a vendetta against Kenneth Cork, but I have absolute confidence in Mr. Cork's ability to head this wide-ranging review into insolvency law. It is not a so-called investigation of small-time bankruptcies.