§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if his changes in the INsolvency Service affect the powers(a) to prosecute for fraud, (b) to disqualify directors and (c) to prosecute in situations of bankruptcy; and if he will make a statement on the rights of private contractors to initiate prosecution and disqualifications
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansNo decision to contract out the functions of official receivers has been taken. When considering that decision, Ministers will take into account such factors as value for money and enabling official receivers to concentrate resources on their investigative role. The latter would improve the Insolvency Service's ability to take disqualification proceedings against directors.
The power to prosecute in personal bankruptcies and in cases of fraud in company liquidations rests with the investigations division of the Department of Trade and Industry and this situation will not be affected by any decision to contract out official receivers' functions.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the present size of the Insolvency Service employment(a) in total and (b) in each region and nation; and if he will estimate the effects on such employment of his proposals to change the status of the service.
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansFigures for the Insolvency Service staff in post as at 1 January 1995, in total and broken down by offices, are as follows.
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Offices Permanent staff 1OGD loanees etc. Casual staff Total staff Plymouth 33 4 9 46 Exeter 21 3 10.5 34.5 Southampton 25.5 1 10.5 37 Bournemouth 19 2 10.5 31.5 Swansea 22 1 4 27 Regional Total 195 18 64 277 Northern Region Manchester 59 11 69 139 Hull 21.5 2 1 24.5 Leeds 37 5 4.5 46.5 Liverpool 23.5 2 1 26.5 Newcastle 25 2 7 34 Stockton 15 3 1 19 St. Annes 30 1 1.5 32.5 Sheffield 22 2 1 25 Regional Total 233 28 86 347 Or London London 147.5 14 34 195.5 PORLU 35 0 1 36 LSU 63 0 30 93 London Total 245.5 14 65 324.5 Headquarters 301 17 36 354 National Total 1,458.5 120.5 364.5 1,943.5 1 OGD loanees includes short term appointees and staff on loan from other Government Departments and the private sector. Consultations have been engaged by the service to consider the implications of any decisions to contract out but at this stage it is too early to say what impact such a decision would have on levels of staffing.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been dealt with and how many staff employed by the Insolvency Service in each year since 1988; and if he will express these figures in index form with 1988 as the base.
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe figures for the number of cases dealt with by the Insolvency Service each year since 1988, together with the number of staff employed in the same period, are as follows:
New Cases Financial Year Bankruptcy Company Total Index 1988–1989 7,595 3,550 11,145 100 1989–1990 8,679 4,431 13,110 118 1990–1991 14,359 6,777 21,136 190 1991–1992 26,186 8,911 35,097 315 1992–1993 33,152 9,540 42,692 383 1993–1994 28,996 7,623 36,619 329 1994–19951 24,400 6,100 30,500 274 1 Based on actual figures for Quarters 1–3 and projected figure for Quarter 4. 556W
Cases Completed Financial Year Bankruptcy Company Total Index 1988–1989 7,928 4,871 12,799 100 1989–1990 8,048 3,875 11,923 93 1990–1991 10,881 4,900 15,781 123 1991–1992 15,516 5,900 21,416 167 1992–1993 16,169 4,957 21,126 165
Cases Completed Financial Year Bankruptcy Company Total Index 1993–1994 26,243 7,746 33,989 266 1994–19951 42,500 10,500 53,000 414 1 Based on projected figures for year
Average staff in post Financial year Permanent Casual Total Index 1988–89 1,393 16 1,409 100 1989–90 1,386 20 1,406 100 1990–91 1,431 24 1,455 103 1991–92 1,499 85 1,584 112 1992–93 1,531 158 1,689 120 1993–94 1,537 281 1,818 129 1994–951 1,491 399 1,890 134 1 Based on average staff in post for 1 April 1994–31 December 1994.