Helplines (Hansard, 8 May 2001)

§ Dr. Howells

[pursuant to the reply, 2 May 2001, c. 686–87W]: The Chief Executives of the Insolvency Service and the Patent Office have now replied.

Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Tom Levitt, dated 8 May 2001: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about telephone helplines administered by The Insolvency Service Executive Agency. While The Service cannot give advice on specific insolvency problems, it operates the following telephone helplines; The Insolvency Service Central Enquiry Line for general enquiries on insolvency procedures. The telephone number is 020 7291 6895 and is manned between 9 am and 5 pm. General enquiries can also be e-mailed to the Central Enquiry Line at Central.Enquiryline@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk The Service publishes a range of information leaflets. All its publications appear in full on its website at www.insolvency.gov.uk; and can be downloaded or ordered in hard copy from the site or by e-mailing Records.management@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk or from The Insolvency Service Publications Order Line on 0121 698 4241: the order line is manned between 9 am and 5 pm with an answer machine outside those hours on which an order can be left. The disqualified directors 'hotline' answer machine is open 24 hours a day on 0845 601 3546 for members of the public to provide information about disqualified directors and bankrupts who may be contravening the law. The hotline questionnaire can also be completed and submitted online via the website. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses are advertised in The Service's publications and on its website. If a member of the public requires more information or has a query about a particular service or case he/she can contact the relevant Official Receiver Office or Headquarters Section direct: the postal and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers are given on The Service's website at www.insolvency.gov.uk or are available from the Central Enquiry Line.

Letter from Alison Brimelow to Mr. Tom Levitt, dated 8 May 2001: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 26 April 2001 which asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what telephone helplines to assist the public are administered by his Department and its Agencies. The Patent Office, an Executive Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, operates a Central Enquiry Unit (CEU) to deal with a wide range of intellectual property (IP) enquiries made by telephone, Email, letter and in person. The CEU operators provide advice on general IP issues; detailed advice on particular scenarios; and, handle requests for our entire range of advisory publications. The telephone helpline can be reached via a single "lo-call rate" number (0845 9 500 505). A "lo-call rate" Minicom service is also available (0845 9 222250). These numbers are advertised on our publications and are also signposted on our website (www.patent.gov.uk) and the intellectual property Portal (www.intellectual-property.gov.uk).