HC Deb 16 September 2004 vol 424 cc1723-4WS
Sir Michael Spicer

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the appointment of the insolvency adjudicator. [189153]

Mr. Sutcliffe

Dame Barbara Mills DBE QC was appointed to act as the Independent Complaints Adjudicator for The Insolvency Service from 1 April 2003.

Dame Barbara will consider complaints about the way in which The Insolvency Service has dealt with its users including bankrupts, directors of failed companies and creditors. She will consider whether the complaint is justified and recommend what, if anything, The Insolvency Service should do to put things right.

The Adjudicator's recommendations are independent and her services are free to complainants.

Dame Barbara also investigates complaints about the Inland Revenue, HM Customs and Excise, and the Public Guardianship Office.

Sir Michael Spicer

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost has been of the review of insolvency practitioners regulations. [189154]

Mr. Sutcliffe

The current review of insolvency practitioners regulations commenced in November 2003 and is on-going.

The cost to date is estimated to be in the region of £7,367.