§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the guidelines from his Department to insolvency practitioners as to the requirements for prosecution of a case for disqualification of a company director reported by a liquidator to be unfit to hold the position; and if he will make a statement on any proposed changes to such guidelines.
§ Mr. RedwoodMy Department issues written guidance notes to insolvency practitioners on the completion of statutory returns and reports on the conduct of directors of insolvent companies. The notes, which were last revised in March 1987, are in the process of revision to take into consideration the general attitude of the courts to disqualification applications, recently decided cases and the views of official receivers and insolvency practitioners.
The insolvency service also communicates with insolvency practitioners on disqualification matters through the insolvency practitioners' joint liaison 433W committee, which represents insolvency practitioners and members of five of the recognised professional bodies on technical matters, and through a series of "Dear IP" letters. Members of the disqualification unit also visit insolvency practitioners frequently to discuss disqualification work.
I have placed copies of the guidance notes in the Libraries of the House.