§ Mr. BurgonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the last three years, how many bankrupt people who appointed the Official Receiver to act on their behalf as trustee were transferred to a private trustee; and after what periods. [107438]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 28 January 2000]: The number of bankruptcy orders made and the number of cases transferred to Insolvency Practitioners in the years 1997–98,1998–99 and in the nine months to 31 December 1999 is as follows:
Period New cases Cases transferred 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 19,713 5,811 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 20,508 6,013 1 April 1999 to 31 December 1999 15,812 4,838 The age of cases transferred is not recorded centrally and could only be ascertained at disproportionate cost. However the great majority of cases are transferred as a result of an Insolvency Practitioner being appointed trustee by the Secretary of State on the application of the Official Receiver. Statistics are maintained centrally regarding the age of cases where such applications are made as to whether they are less than or more than five months old. Those statistics show that there is an almost equal split between the two categories.