Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many bankruptcies were recorded in the financial year ended 5th April, 1972.
§ Mr. Noble:The available figures of the numbers of bankruptcies, and of other forms of insolvency, are given below:
21W
Unincorporated Businesses Companies Receiving orders and Administration Orders made under Section 130 of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914 Deeds of Arrangement Liquidations* 12 months ending 31st March, 1972 4,692 149 3,623 * Compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations, omitting members' voluntary liquidations of companies believed to be solvent.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make arrangements to ensure the supply, to shareholders of the companies concerned, of copies of reports by his Department into bankrupt companies.
§ Mr. Noble:I think the hon. Member is under a misapprehension: the Department does not make such reports; but in a compulsory winding-up the Official Receiver issues summaries of the statement of affairs submitted together with his observations to all creditors and shareholders. In a voluntary winding-up there is provision for annual meetings and final meetings, at which the liqui-
Expression to be defined Applicant Reply " Central heating" … … Consumer's Union … … … … Rejected "Central heating system " … Consumer's Union … … Rejected " Registration date of Cars " … London Borough of Croydon … … Under considerate " Mill shop " … … … Retail Trading-Standards Association Inc … Rejected I should have no objection if the applicants wished to publish the correspondence in these cases, but I do not myself intend to do so.