Standards for Promotions Inspectorate Ltd.

HC Deb 23 June 2003 vol 407 c569W

Keith Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when the first complaint was made to the Department concerning SFT; [120068]

(2) when departmental officials questioned the Directors of SFT. [120069]

Mr. Sutcliffe

A Winding-up Order was made against Standards for Promotions Inspectorate Ltd. ("SPI") (which the hon. Member refers to as SFT) on 14 May 2003. This Order was made on a petition that was presented to the court by the Secretary of State on 2 April 2003 and followed an investigation under S447 of the Companies Act 1985 by the Department of Trade and Industry's Companies Investigations Branch.

Complaints made to the Department of Trade and Industry about limited companies, and any statutory inquiries that follow, are confidential. Those taking part in the process do so on the understanding that this confidence will be respected and criminal sanctions apply to the unauthorised release of any information so gathered.