§ Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions directors of insolvent companies have been disqualified under section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; and what this is as a percentage of the total number of directors. [156006]
Dr. Howells: As at 28 February 2001 there had been a total of 9,734 directors disqualified since 1986 when the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 commenced. A further 1,721 cases are awaiting a court hearing of which 90 per cent. are expected to result in disqualification orders. The exact total numbers of directors returned as serving in office at any given time is not available (because, for example, some individuals hold more than one directorship) but an approximate number is 3.6 million.