HC Deb 04 July 1995 vol 263 cc149-51W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provision will be made to ensure that, in the event of the contracting out of some of the functions of the official receiver and subsequent requirement on staff to relocate between offices, women staff will not be relatively disadvantaged. [32306]

Mr. Jonathan Evans

The Insolvency Service is an equal opportunities employer. In the event of contracting out going ahead, the needs of all staff would be taken into account as far as possible within its operational requirements.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if, in the event of the functions of the official receiver being contracted out, it will be necessary in every case for bankrupts and company directors to attend at the offices of the contractor for interview in order to establish the causes of the failure of the business. [32305]

Mr. Evans

Yes, subject to individual circumstances which would prevent such attendance, such as ill-health.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what percentage of cases administered by the official receivers' office in Kingston upon Hull, a trustee or liquidator was appointed at a meeting of creditors or on the instructions of the Secretary of State, in order to realise and distribute assets, in each year since 1986. [32321]

Mr. Evans

The percentage of cases administered by the official receiver's office in Kingston upon Hull in which an insolvency practitioner was appointed as liquidator/trustee are as follows:

Per cent.
Financial year Bankruptcy Company
April 1992-March 1993 28 30
April 1993-March 1994 24 36
April 1994-March 1995 27 48

Information for previous years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance is given to staff of the Insolvency Service, in addition to their training, to ensure that they interview and conduct their inquiries into the affairs of bankrupts and company directors on a professional and consistent basis throughout the 33 official receivers' offices in England and Wales. [32309]

Mr. Evans

A consistent and professional approach is obtained through a thorough programme of training including the sitting of Certified Association of Chartered Accountants examinations by examiners, and the use of an internal technical manual which is regularly updated by the issue of technical bulletins.

A system of management is in place which allows policies to be cascaded through regional managers to official receivers, who in turn disseminate the information to their staff to ensure that consistent practices are applied throughout the country. There is also a professional service action plan which stipulates the conduct of staff when dealing with customers and a pocket guide to investigative interviewing which is being introduced for staff who conduct interviews.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if, in the event of some of the functions of the official receiver being contracted out, bids will be invited from the management and staff of the Insolvency Service. [32307]

Mr. Evans

The advertisements inviting expressions of interest were open to all interested parties and any member of staff of the Insolvency Service will be able to be involved in the contracting out process in the same way as potential providers from the private sector.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will provide an estimate of the maximum distances currently travelled by bankrupts and company directors to be interviewed, in respect of each of the areas covered by each of the official receiver's offices in England and Wales. [32323]

Mr. Evans

This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. There are 33 official receivers' offices throughout England and Wales providing local accessibility for all bankrupts, directors and members of the public having business with the Insolvency Service.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what written guidance is given to the staff of the official receiver's office, in addition to their training, as to the conduct of their initial enquiries and interviews; and if the same written guidance will be given to contractors engaged in carrying out initial enquiries if some of the functions of the official receiver are contracted out. [32324]

Mr. Evans

All specialist staff within the Insolvency Service have copies of the Insolvency Service technical manual which provides written guidance for the conduct of their initial enquiries and interviews. In the event of contracting out, such guidance would be issued to contractors.