§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the retained functions of Companies house, Edinburgh, after contracting out. [42238]
§ Mr. OppenheimThe functions to be retained are:
- the granting of extensions of filing dates for annual returns,
- the striking off, dissolution and restoration of companies in accordance with the Companies Acts,
- processing cases passed by the contractor where there has been an objection to the use of a company name,
- processing cases passed by the contractor which may lead to prosecution, pursuing possible breaches of the Companies Acts.
§ Mr. GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of staff necessary to carry out the retained functions of Companies house, Edinburgh. [42237]
§ Mr. OppenheimIt is envisaged that five staff will be retained to carry out retained functions.
§ Mr. GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the terms of confidentiality which will apply to contractors seeking to bid for the contract to run Companies house, Edinburgh. [42236]
§ Mr. OppenheimAll persons invited to tender are subject to confidentiality obligations as part of the tender documentation. The Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994—under which an order was made to permit statutory functions to be carried out by a contractor—ensures that the same requirements as regards confidentiality will apply to contractor and his staff as apply at present to Companies house. In addition, confidentiality requirements will form part of any contract.