§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of reports from insolvency practitioners were rejected by the Insolvency Service in the latest available year; and if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers and percentages of rejected reports according to each principal reason for rejection.
§ Mr. Neil Hamilton[holding answer 27 October 1993]: The percentage of reports from insolvency practitioners rejected at the vetting stage during the 12 months to 30 September 1993 was 80.3 per cent.—3,345 reports.
Of those reports, 70 per cent. identified elements of unfit conduct, but the case was not considered to be sufficiently serious or evidentially strong enough to justify proceeding in the public interest or there was clear mitigation or some other relevant factor; 24 per cent. were linked with one or more other companies/individuals subject to other insolvency procedures or proceedings; 5 per cent. were submitted with insufficient time remaining to prepare the evidence and with an insufficient basis to seek leave to extend the statutory time limit; and 1 per cent. where the whereabouts of the director were not known and service would be unlikely to be effected.