§ Mr. BellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many applications have been made by him or his predecessors to the courts for the disqualification of directors under the terms and provisions of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; how many have been successful; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many referrals there were to the disqualification unit of the Department of Trade and Industry for applications to be made for the disqualification of directors under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 for the years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will set out the criteria under which applications are made to the court for the disqualification of directors under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LilleyThe criteria under which applications are made for the disqualification of directors under section 6578W of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 on the ground of unfitness are set out in schedule Ito that Act. They include breach of duty, misapplication of funds, contraventions of the Companies Acts and the Insolvency Act and the extent of a director's responsibility for the causes of the company becoming insolvent. The courts must have regard to these matters in determining whether a person's conduct as a director of a particular company or companies makes him unfit to be concerned in the management of companies generally.
The following numbers of unfit conduct reports have been made by official receivers and insolvency practitioners:
Numbers 1987 3,115 1988 4,231 1989 3,234 1990 4,235 1991 5,747 20,562 In the period from 28 April 1986 to 31 December 1991, 2,184 disqualification applications have been made under section 6 of the Act; 1,193 orders have been made and 190 applications have been dismissed or withdrawn.
§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support has been, and is being provided to Northern Ireland industrialists by way of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe full range of ECGD facilities continues to be available to companies carrying on business in Northern Ireland.