Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

I have been to Leeds to see what is being done with apprenticeships. Building colleges for building is an important part of ensuring that we can build our buildings in the future, and using apprenticeships to do that is an important way of improving and retaining skills, but, crucially, it also gives thousands of young people a chance to obtain the skills that they need in order to hold a sustainable job and have a secure future.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

The building of Hinkley C will create a huge amount of employment in and around not only Somerset but Devon. Apprenticeship schemes will certainly work very well when it comes to building a power station.

[Matthew Hancock]

I agree with my hon. Friend, and I pay tribute to Bridgwater college, which has put an awful lot of effort into ensuring that we build up the courses that will provide us with new nuclear skills.

Small Businesses

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 28th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) (Con)]

It is a real pleasure to have the opportunity to speak now, which is in no small part because I am due in Westminster Hall at 3 o’clock to lead a debate on retail and the high street. I shall therefore be relatively brief. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Abbot (Anne Marie Morris) not only for securing this debate, but for delivering a speech in which she was characteristically passionate about business. It is a credit to her campaign that so many Members on both sides of the House have come to support today’s important debate.

I am passionate about this subject. At school, I was for ever wheeling and dealing. If anyone needed anything, I was the man to speak to. Shortly after graduating, I set up my own printing and marketing company, which employed local people in my constituency. I sold it as soon as I got elected, however; it is a busy lark being an MP. I was incredibly proud to be given the opportunity to be a small business ambassador and, obviously, to work with the fantastic Minister for Skills and Enterprise, as well as the inspirational Karren Brady, which certainly impressed my wife, who very much liked her book.

I want to talk about some of the positive things the Government have done. We can all celebrate the fact that there are more than 400,000 new businesses, which have helped to create 1.4 million new jobs. The new employment allowance, which comes in on 1 January, is a welcome measure from the Government that will help to push that even further forward. We can celebrate the fact that we now have an extra 500,000 apprenticeships. The start-up loans scheme has celebrated its 10,000th loan, with its loans totalling £50 million. Crucially, that scheme has allowed those 10,000 firms to take on a further 10,000 people, so for each new firm, an additional job has been created, which is fantastic. The red tape challenge is also brilliant, not least because we have asked businesses to suggest which pieces of red tape need to be removed.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

My hon. Friend is making very good points, and I would also like to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Abbot (Anne Marie Morris) on securing the debate. Many small businesses and micro-businesses believe that they get by despite the actions of the Government, rather than because of them, so all the things that we are doing to roll back red tape are absolutely right. Small businesses are creating jobs, but they want to be loved, especially by the Government. Over the years they have not felt loved, and that is what I am looking to the Minister and the Government to deliver.

[Justin Tomlinson]

I very much love businesses, so I will send some love to my hon. Friend’s constituency.

It is great that businesses are suggesting the areas of red tape that need to be looked at, because they are very much at the coal face. Removing two regulations for every one introduced is a real challenge, but the initiative has certainly been welcomed by businesses in my constituency.

Several Members have talked about opening up local authority procurement, which is worth about £4.4 billion a year, and the Government have the commendable aim of getting SME participation in that to about 25%. My hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Andrew Bingham), who has had to leave the Chamber, has got hold of some of the forms that small businesses have to fill in when bidding for such contracts. I know that, when I ran a business, it simply was not worth the hassle.

I also very much welcome the increase in the annual investment allowance from £25,000 to £250,000. One problem that we identified was the fact that, for the first time in living memory, businesses had more money in their current accounts than they were choosing to borrow, because they were worried about uncertainty in the market. Increasing the allowance is a brilliant way to encourage businesses to start unlocking some of that money, which will drive forward growth.

Cutting corporation tax always brings a cheer from Conservative Members. Although Labour says that it supports business, it is telling that that support seems to vanish as soon as a business makes a profit. I also welcome the extension of small business rate relief.

EU-US Trade and Investment Agreement

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 18th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[John Healey]

I am grateful for that continuing cross-party support at least. [Interruption.] The Minister is chuckling away; I look forward to hearing what he has to say a little later.

I have a third answer to my friends who ask why I am backing the deal, and it is this. I am pro-European and pro-internationalist, and I think this potential agreement underlines more clearly than anything the benefits for Britain of being part of the European Union. Those benefits would be simply unavailable if Britain left the European Union and tried to go it alone.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

rose—

[John Healey]

I will give way to the hon. Gentleman; then I would like to quote President Obama to him.

[Neil Parish]

Does the right hon. Gentleman not see that there is sometimes a conflict between international trade and the situation in Europe? My experience is that sometimes the way in which Europe organises trade is far too prescriptive and can be a barrier to greater international trade, rather than progressing it.

[John Healey]

rose—

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Jo Swinson]

The UK employment and labour market is flexible, which can be helpful. For some employees, zero-hours contracts can be helpful. Clearly, where there is abuse happening, it should be clamped down on. That is certainly what the Government will make sure is done.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

Recently, Axminster Carpets, a great local company, went into administration. Its bankers were less than sympathetic. The Government have capital funds in place for banks to lend; can the Secretary of State do much more to make sure banks properly lend to business?

[Vince Cable]

There are a great many initiatives taking place. Apart from the advanced manufacturing supply chain finance announced this morning, we will be talking tomorrow about a new raft of initiatives for non-bank lending. The hon. Gentleman will have seen this morning’s ministerial statement on the future role of the business bank. He is right that the closure of the carpet factory is a serious blow, but it relates more to the viability of the company than to the ability of getting credit from banks.

Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill

Neil Parish Excerpts

Tuesday 16th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

I merely seek reassurance from the Minister. I can understand the need to simplify the bankruptcy procedure for those who, through no fault of their own, seek it because of their debts, and that is absolutely right. I am slightly concerned, however, that some companies shift money around and go bankrupt because it suits them to do so, taking other companies down with them. I want the Minister to reassure me that the adjudicator, or whatever he or she will be called, will have the powers to look into such cases so that it is not easy to go bankrupt when one should not. Such companies bring other good companies down with them.

[Jo Swinson]

I have appreciated the good but brief debate on this issue, on which there is clearly a degree of support on both sides of the House. That is always welcome and I particularly welcome the support for these measures from the hon. Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray) and the official Opposition.

I share the concern about the fact that too many people sadly need seriously to consider bankruptcy. We all know from our experience in our constituency surgeries the distress and heartbreak that can cause to the people who are contemplating such a measure. The impact of that decision on individuals is why it is absolutely right to do what we can to improve the process, to make it swift and efficient and, where possible, to prevent people from having to appear in court, which adds to the stigma that has been mentioned and is a distressing and difficult experience.

Bankruptcy should be considered as a last resort. A wide range of different measures are promoted and encouraged through people who give debt advice such as individual voluntary agreements, of which there are about 49,000 a year; debt management plans, of which 150,000 people take advantage each year; and the new debt relief orders for specific categories of very vulnerable and poor debtors, 29,000 of whom take them up every year. In that context, the 38,000 bankruptcy orders show that bankruptcy is not used by all the people who face such difficulties. Of course, the general advice to individuals in difficult financial circumstances is to seek advice early. The earlier the problems can be confronted, the more possible it is to avoid the worst consequences.

I am happy to address the specific issues raised by Members. The hon. Members for Edinburgh South and for Foyle (Mark Durkan) mentioned bankruptcy tourism, which is a practice whereby a debtor opts to access insolvency proceedings in a particular member state by relocating to that member state. That potentially enables them to seek a better outcome than might have been possible in their previous country. That is allowed for under the EU insolvency regulation provided that the relocation is genuine. For many individuals in such circumstances, the relocation might not be straightforward so it is perhaps unsurprising that the number of individuals from other EU countries who relocate to the UK for this purpose is very small. There is no evidence of widespread abuse, but the official receiver or a creditor can apply to court to annul the bankruptcy order if abuse takes place.

On the question about the adjudicator, the Insolvency Service is already looking at this for the debt relief orders that it administers and it will be able to do exactly the same in relation to the way in which adjudicators conduct their business.

On the qualifications of adjudicators, they will be making an objective decision by reference to prescribed criteria and there will be a right of appeal for an applicant if the adjudicator refuses to make an order. Obviously, they will need appropriate qualifications and experience to function effectively, and the Secretary of State will make sure that people appointed to that role are appropriately qualified. They will be based within the Insolvency Service which, as the House knows, is an executive agency of BIS, and will already have extensive experience of administering an electronic administrative process similar to the debt relief order regime. It is important to point out that adjudicators will not be able to be official receivers as well, as that would be deemed to be a conflict of interests so those roles will be kept separate.

I appreciate that for individuals seeking bankruptcy, the levying of fees on that is not straightforward. The administration fee will remain unchanged at £525, which is a significant sum for people in that situation. In the context of overall bankruptcy, where they will be expecting debt relief of at least £15,000, it is not as huge as could be imagined in the comparison.

What is important about the way in which the new system will operate is that it will take the courts away from a process in which they do not need to be involved. Where there is no dispute, where somebody wants to declare themselves bankrupt and nobody has a problem with that, there will be no requirement for that costly court process. That will generate significant savings so the application fee for the process is expected to be about £70, instead of the current court fee of £175. That will be helpful and of benefit to people applying for this option. It is estimated that overall debtors will save about £1.5 million. There is a saving for the Court Service as well, as this will be a more efficient process handled through the adjudicator, and individuals personally affected by bankruptcy will benefit. The suggestion from the hon. Member for Edinburgh South about paying in instalments is one that the Government have taken on board. It is part of the process and offers real advantages, compared with the current situation.

I was delighted that the hon. Gentleman mentioned the Post Office, which I, as the Minister responsible, am passionate about, as I know are Members in all parts of the House, who support their local community post offices. The Government are committed to ensuring that the Post Office can be an effective delivery mechanism for more front-office Government services. There is good news—last year, for the first time in a decade, the income stream that the Post Office received from Government services increased, so there is a positive story to tell.

The Post Office is looking at a wide range of ways in which it can increase its services and its revenue. Playing a wider role in identity checks, as was mentioned, is one of those. It is important to bear in mind that the Post Office will bid for such contracts on the basis of being able to provide an effective and efficient mechanism for doing so. It is a very good organisation that is able to provide such services and win those contracts on the merits of the bid that it submits.

On the issues relating to advice, there are examples of more credit union facilities and a wider range of financial services being able to be accessed through post offices. Access to financial services from that excellent network of 12,000 branches is of particular help to people in communities that do not have a local bank branch, perhaps because they are very rural communities. Now that 95% of bank accounts are accessible at post offices, the recent announcement from HSBC was welcome. The hon. Gentleman certainly raises an important point.

On the points made by the hon. Member for Foyle and my hon. Friends the Members for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson) and for Tiverton and Honiton (Neil Parish), it is important to point out that the amendments relate to personal insolvency, not company insolvency, and were I to detain the House on company insolvency, Mr Deputy Speaker may have concerns. I hear Members’ concerns and I know from Members’ correspondence that people are worried about the procedures when companies become insolvent. The change of termination clauses in insolvency would have implications for the suppliers, so many demands need to be balanced, but I recognise the concerns and we are looking more widely at issues facing companies in insolvency. My officials have been engaging with interested parties and stakeholders and will continue to do so.

I think I have dealt with the various points made by hon. Members, so I commend the new clause and the amendments to the House.

Question put and agreed to.

New clause 16 accordingly read a Second time, and added to the Bill.



New Schedule 2

‘Adjudicators: bankruptcy applications by debtors and bankruptcy orders

‘Adjudicators: bankruptcy applications by debtors and bankruptcy orders

“Chapter A1

Adjudicators: bankruptcy applications by debtors and bankruptcy orders

263H Bankruptcy applications to the adjudicator

(1) An individual may make an application to an adjudicator in accordance with this Chapter for a bankruptcy order to be made against him or her.

(2) An individual may make a bankruptcy application only on the ground that the individual is unable to pay his or her debts.

263I Debtors against whom an adjudicator may make a bankruptcy order

(1) An adjudicator has jurisdiction to determine a bankruptcy application only if—

(a) the centre of the debtor’s main interests is in England and Wales, or

(b) the centre of the debtor’s main interests is not in a member state of the European Union which has adopted the EC Regulation, but the test in subsection (2) is met.

(2) The test is that—

(a) the debtor is domiciled in England and Wales, or

(b) at any time in the period of three years ending with the day on which the application is made to the adjudicator, the debtor—

(i) has been ordinarily resident, or has had a place of residence, in England and Wales, or

(ii) has carried on business in England and Wales.

(3) The reference in subsection (2) to the debtor carrying on business includes—

(a) the carrying on of business by a firm or partnership of which the debtor is a member, and

(b) the carrying on of business by an agent or manager for the debtor or for such a firm or partnership.

(4) In this section, references to the centre of the debtor’s main interests have the same meaning as in Article 3 of the EC Regulation.

263J Conditions applying to bankruptcy application

(1) A bankruptcy application must include—

(a) such particulars of the debtor’s creditors, debts and other liabilities, and assets, as may be prescribed, and

(b) such other information as may be prescribed.

(2) A bankruptcy application is not to be regarded as having been made unless any fee or deposit required in connection with the application by an order under section 415 has been paid to such person, and within such period, as may be prescribed.

(3) A bankruptcy application may not be withdrawn.

(4) A debtor must notify the adjudicator if, at any time before a bankruptcy order is made against the debtor or the adjudicator refuses to make such an order—

(a) the debtor becomes able to pay his or her debts, or

(b) a bankruptcy petition has been presented to the court in relation to the debtor.

263K Determination of bankruptcy application

(1) After receiving a bankruptcy application, an adjudicator must determine whether the following requirements are met—

(a) the adjudicator had jurisdiction under section 263I to determine the application on the date the application was made,

(b) the debtor is unable to pay his or her debts at the date of the determination,

(c) no bankruptcy petition is pending in relation to the debtor at the date of the determination, and

(d) no bankruptcy order has been made in respect of any of the debts which are the subject of the application at the date of the determination.

(2) If the adjudicator is satisfied that each of the requirements in subsection (1) are met, the adjudicator must make a bankruptcy order against the debtor.

(3) If the adjudicator is not so satisfied, the adjudicator must refuse to make a bankruptcy order against the debtor.

(4) The adjudicator must make a bankruptcy order against the debtor or refuse to make such an order before the end of the prescribed period (“the determination period”).

263L Adjudicator’s requests for further information

(1) An adjudicator may at any time during the determination period request from the debtor information that the adjudicator considers necessary for the purpose of determining whether a bankruptcy order must be made.

(2) The adjudicator may specify a date before which information requested under subsection (1) must be provided; but that date must not be after the end of the determination period.

(3) If the rules so prescribe, a request under subsection (1) may include a request for information to be given orally.

(4) The rules may make provision enabling or requiring an adjudicator to request information from persons of a prescribed description in prescribed circumstances.

263M Making of bankruptcy order

(1) This section applies where an adjudicator makes a bankruptcy order as a result of a bankruptcy application.

(2) The order must be made in the prescribed form.

(3) The adjudicator must—

(a) give a copy of the order to the debtor, and

(b) give notice of the order to persons of such description as may be prescribed.

263N Refusal to make a bankruptcy order: review and appeal etc.

(1) Where an adjudicator refuses to make a bankruptcy order on a bankruptcy application, the adjudicator must give notice to the debtor—

(a) giving the reasons for the refusal, and

(b) explaining the effect of subsections (2) to (5).

(2) If requested by the debtor before the end of the prescribed period, the adjudicator must review the information which was available to the adjudicator when the determination that resulted in the refusal was made.

(3) Following a review under subsection (2) the adjudicator must—

(a) confirm the refusal to make a bankruptcy order, or

(b) make a bankruptcy order against the debtor.

(4) Where the adjudicator confirms a refusal under subsection (3), the adjudicator must give notice to the debtor—

(a) giving the reasons for the confirmation, and

(b) explaining the effect of subsection (5).

(5) If the refusal is confirmed under subsection (3), the debtor may appeal against the refusal to the court before the end of the prescribed period.

263O False representations and omissions

(1) It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make any false representation or omission in—

(a) making a bankruptcy application to an adjudicator, or

(b) providing any information to an adjudicator in connection with a bankruptcy application.

(2) It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to fail to notify an adjudicator of a matter in accordance with a requirement imposed by or under this Part.

(3) It is immaterial for the purposes of an offence under this section whether or not a bankruptcy order is made as a result of the application.

(4) It is not a defence in proceedings for an offence under this section that anything relied on, in whole or in part, as constituting the offence was done outside England and Wales.

(5) Proceedings for an offence under this section may only be instituted—

(a) by the Secretary of State, or

(b) by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.” ’.—(Jo Swinson.)

Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.



New Schedule 3

‘Adjudicators: minor and consequential amendments

‘Adjudicators: minor and consequential amendments

1 The Insolvency Act 1986 is amended in accordance with this Schedule.

2 In section 253 (application for interim order), omit subsection (5).

3 In section 255 (cases in which interim order can be made), in subsection (1)(b) for “petition for his own bankruptcy” substitute “make a bankruptcy application”.

4 (1) Section 256A (debtor’s proposal and nominee’s report) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) omit the words from “unless” to the end.

(3) In subsection (3) for “petition for his own bankruptcy” substitute “make a bankruptcy application”.

5 For the heading to Chapter 1 of Part 9 substitute “The court: bankruptcy petitions and bankruptcy orders”.

6 In section 264 (who may present a bankruptcy petition), in subsection (1) omit paragraph (b).

7 For section 265 (conditions to be satisfied in respect of debtor) substitute—

“265 Creditor’s petition: debtors against whom the court may make a bankruptcy order

(1) A bankruptcy petition may be presented to the court under section 264(1)(a) only if—

(a) the centre of the debtor’s main interests is in England and Wales, or

(b) the centre of the debtor’s main interests is not in a member state of the European Union which has adopted the EC Regulation, but the test in subsection (2) is met.

(2) The test is that—

(a) the debtor is domiciled in England and Wales, or

(b) at any time in the period of three years ending with the day on which the petition is presented, the debtor—

(i) has been ordinarily resident, or has had a place of residence, in England and Wales, or

(ii) has carried on business in England and Wales.

(3) The reference in subsection (2) to the debtor carrying on business includes—

(a) the carrying on of business by a firm or partnership of which the debtor is a member, and

(b) the carrying on of business by an agent or manager for the debtor or for such a firm or partnership.

(4) In this section, references to the centre of the debtor’s main interests have the same meaning as in Article 3 of the EC Regulation.”

8 In section 266 (bankruptcy petitions: other preliminary conditions), in subsection (4) omit “, (b)”.

9 (1) Sections 272 to 274A (and the cross-heading immediately preceding those sections) (debtor’s petition) are repealed.

(2) In consequence of the repeal of section 274A by paragraph (1), omit paragraph 3 of Schedule 20 to Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (debt relief Orders: consequential amendments).

10 For the cross-heading immediately before section 278 substitute—A

Chapter 1A

Commencement and duration of bankruptcy”.

11 In section 278 (commencement and continuance), in paragraph (b) (discharge of bankruptcy order) omit “the following provisions of”.

12 In section 279 (duration of bankruptcy), in subsection (6) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

13 In section 282 (court’s power to annul bankruptcy order), in subsection (2)—

(a) omit “, (b)”,

(b) after “section 264(1)” insert “or on a bankruptcy application”, and

(c) in paragraph (a) after “pending” insert “or the application was ongoing”.

14 In section 283 (definition of bankrupt’s estate), in subsection (5)(a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

15 (1) Section 284 (restrictions on dispositions of property) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

(3) In subsection (3) for “presentation of the petition for the bankruptcy order” substitute “making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition”.

(4) In subsection (4), in paragraph (a) before “petition” insert “bankruptcy application had been made or (as the case may be) that the bankruptcy”.

16 (1) Section 285 (restriction on proceedings and remedies) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) after “when” insert “proceedings on a bankruptcy application are ongoing or”, and

(b) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

(3) In subsection (2) after “proof that” insert “a bankruptcy application has been made or”.

17 (1) Section 286 is amended as follows.

(2) Omit subsection (2).

(3) In subsection (8), for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

18 In section 288 (statement of affairs), in subsection (1) for “debtor’s petition” substitute “bankruptcy application”.

19 In section 290 (public examination of bankrupt), in subsection (4)(a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

20 (1) Section 297 (appointment of trustee of bankrupt’s estate: special cases) is amended as follows.

(2) Omit subsection (4).

(3) In subsection (6) omit “(4) or”.

21 (1) Section 320 (court order vesting disclaimed property) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)(c) before “bankruptcy” insert “bankruptcy application was made or (as the case may be) the”.

(3) In subsection (3)(c) before “bankruptcy” insert “bankruptcy application was made or (as the case may be) the”.

22 In section 321 (orders under section 320 in respect of leaseholds), in subsection (1)(a) before “bankruptcy” insert “bankruptcy application was made or (as the case may be) the”.

23 In section 323 (mutual credit and set-off), in subsection (3) before “a bankruptcy” insert “proceedings on a bankruptcy application relating to the bankrupt were ongoing or that”.

24 In section 334 (stay of distribution in case of second bankruptcy), in subsection (2) before “presentation of the petition” insert “making of the application or (as the case may be) the”.

25 (1) Section 336 (rights of occupation etc of bankrupt’s spouse or civil partner) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for “presentation of the petition for the bankruptcy order” substitute “making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition”.

(3) In subsection (2) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

26 In section 337 (rights of occupation of bankrupt), in subsection (1)—

(a) in paragraph (a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”, and

(b) in paragraph (b) before “bankruptcy petition” insert “bankruptcy application was made or (as the case may be) the”.

27 In section 339 (transactions at an undervalue), in subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

28 In section 340 (preferences), in subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

29 In section 341 (meaning of “relevant time” under sections 339 and 340), in subsection (1)(a) for “presentation of the bankruptcy petition on which the individual is adjudged” substitute “making of the bankruptcy application as a result of which, or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition on which, the individual is made”.

30 (1) Section 342 (orders under sections 339 and 340) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

(3) In subsection (5)—

(a) for paragraph (a) substitute—

“(a) of the fact that the bankruptcy application as a result of which, or (as the case may be) the bankruptcy petition on which, the individual in question is made bankrupt has been made or presented; or”, and

(b) in paragraph (b) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

31 In section 342A (recovery of excessive pension contributions), in subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

32 In section 343 (extortionate credit transactions), in subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

33 (1) Section 344 (avoidance of general assignment of book debts) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

(3) In subsection (2) before “presentation” insert “making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the”.

34 In section 345 (contracts to which bankrupt is a party), in subsection (1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

35 (1) Section 346 (enforcement procedures) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsections (1) and (2) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

(3) In subsection (3)—

(a) in paragraph (b) before “bankruptcy” insert “bankruptcy application has been made or a”, and

(b) in paragraph (c) before “on that petition” insert “as a result of that application or”.

(4) In subsection (4)(a) after “while” insert “proceedings on a bankruptcy application are ongoing or (as the case may be)”.

36 (1) Section 347 (distress, etc) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)—

(a) after “individual to whom” insert “a bankruptcy application or”, and

(b) before “on that petition” insert “as a result of that application or”.

(3) In subsection (3) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

37 In section 348 (apprenticeships, etc), in subsection (1)(a) for “petition on which the order was made” substitute “application for the order was made or (as the case may be) the petition for the order”.

38 In section 350 (application of Chapter 6 of Part 9: bankruptcy offences), in subsection (1) after “applies” insert “—

(a) where an adjudicator has made a bankruptcy order as a result of a bankruptcy application, or

(b) ”.

39 (1) Section 351 (definitions for the purposes of Chapter 6 of Part 9) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (b) before “presentation” insert “making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the”.

(3) Omit paragraph (c), and the preceding “and”.

40 (1) Section 354 (concealment of property) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)(c) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

(3) In subsection (3)(a) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

41 (1) Section 355 (concealment of books and papers; falsification) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)(d) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

(3) In subsection (3)(b) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

42 In section 356 (false statements), in subsection (2)(c) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

43 In section 358 (absconding), in paragraph (b) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

44 (1) Section 359 (fraudulent dealing with property obtained on credit) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

(3) In subsection (2) before “petition” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy”.

45 In section 360 (obtaining credit and engaging in business), in subsection (1)(b) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

46 (1) Section 364 (power of arrest) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)(a) after “to whom a” insert “bankruptcy application or a”.

(3) In subsection (2) before “presentation” insert “making of the bankruptcy application or the”.

47 In section 376 (time limits), after “anything” insert “(including anything in relation to a bankruptcy application)”.

48 (1) Section 381 (definition of “bankrupt” and associated terminology) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for “adjudged” (in both places where it occurs) substitute “made”.

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) “Bankruptcy application” means an application to an adjudicator for a bankruptcy order.”

(4) In subsection (2) for “adjudging” substitute “making”.

49 In section 383 (definition of “creditor” etc.), in subsection (1)(b)—

(a) after “to whom a” insert “bankruptcy application or”, and

(b) after “that” insert “application or”.

50 In section 384 (definitions of “prescribed” and “the rules”), in subsection (1) omit “section 273;”.

51 In section 385 (miscellaneous definitions), in subsection (1)—

(a) before the definition of “the court” insert—

““adjudicator” means a person appointed by the Secretary of State under section 398A;”,

(b) in the definition of “the debtor”, in paragraph (b)—

(i) before “bankruptcy petition” insert “bankruptcy application or a”, and

(ii) after “to whom the” insert “application or”,

(c) omit the definition of “debtor’s petition”, and

(d) before the definition of “dwelling house” insert—

“determination period” has the meaning given in section 263K(4);”.

52 In section 387 (meaning of “the relevant date”), in subsection (6)(a) after “after” insert “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be)”.

53 In section 389A (authorisation of nominees and supervisors), in subsection (3)(a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

54 In section 390 (persons not qualified to act as insolvency practitioners), in subsection (4)(a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

55 In section 415 (fees orders), after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) An order under subsection (1) may make different provision for different purposes, including by reference to the manner or form in which proceedings are commenced.”

56 In section 421A (insolvent estates: joint tenancies), in subsection (9) in the definition of “value lost to the estate”, for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

57 In section 424 (who may apply for an order under section 423 in respect of transactions entered into at an undervalue), in subsection (1)(a) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

58 In Schedule 4ZA (conditions for making a debt relief order), for paragraph 3 substitute—

3 A bankruptcy application under Part 9—

(a) has not been made before the determination date; or

(b) has been so made, but proceedings on the application have been finally disposed of before that date.”

59 (1) In Schedule 4A (bankruptcy restrictions orders), paragraph 2 is amended as follows.

(2) In sub-paragraph (2)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for the words from “petition” to the end substitute “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition and ending with the date of the application for the bankruptcy restrictions order”, and

(b) in paragraph (j), for “presentation of the petition” substitute “the making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition”.

(3) In sub-paragraph (4) omit the definition of “before petition”.

60 In Schedule 6 (categories of preferential debts), in paragraph 14(1) for “adjudged” substitute “made”.

61 (1) Schedule 9 (provisions capable of inclusion in individual insolvency rules) is amended as follows.

(2) After paragraph 4 insert—

“Adjudicators

4A Provision for regulating the practice and procedure of adjudicators.

4B Provision about the form and content of a bankruptcy application (including an application for a review of an adjudicator’s determination).”

(3) After paragraph 4B (as inserted by sub-paragraph (2)) insert—

“Appeals against determinations by adjudicators

4C Provision about the making and determining of appeals to the court against a determination by an adjudicator, including provision—

(a) enabling the court to make a bankruptcy order on such an appeal, and

(b) about where such appeals lie.”

(4) After paragraph 24 insert—

24A Provision requiring official receivers—

(a) to keep files and other records relating to bankruptcy applications, and

(b) to make those files and records available for inspection by persons of a prescribed description.”

62 (1) In the Table in Schedule 10 (punishment of offences), insert the following entry after the entry relating to section 262A(1)—

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 2nd February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

Yes. I have talked extensively to Will Hutton about that. In the proposals that I will bring forward next week, we will introduce the principle of a clawback; that clawback can operate in different ways, and we are certainly looking seriously at one of the ways that Will Hutton has recommended.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

To get to the dizzy heights of executive pay, one must first get a job. What are Ministers doing to reduce the red tape and bureaucracy relating to apprenticeship schemes for small and medium-sized businesses?

[Mr Speaker]

That question is fascinating, but sadly it bears absolutely no relation to the question on the Order Paper, so the hon. Gentleman should keep it for the spring, or some other suitable time.

Apprenticeships

Neil Parish Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

I am glad to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Andrew Griffiths), who rightly pointed out that although we are all supposed to be on holiday, attendance among hon. Members has been very good this evening because we realise how important this issue is. I thank the Minister very much for his earlier statement about apprenticeships and the fact that we are nearly doubling them. I shall give some figures from my constituency, although I cannot quite beat the percentage increase that my hon. Friend has seen in Burton. We had 580 apprenticeships last year, which is going up this year to 780—nearly 800—so we are going in completely the right direction.

I want to make a plea to the Minister. It is good that larger businesses are taking on apprentices, but some 50% of the private sector economy comprises small companies and micro-businesses, and they take on only about 2% of the apprentices throughout the country. It is important that we get that figure up. We must ensure that apprenticeship schemes are worth while, but we must also ensure that they are not so burdensome or beset by red tape and bureaucracy that small companies will not use them. Small companies and micro-businesses are personal concerns that someone has built up, and if a young person can work every day with the person running the company, that will be important not only for building the business but for building up a relationship that could lead to the business taking on an extra employee. It would therefore help tremendously if more small businesses could be persuaded to take on apprentices.

[Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) (Con)]

One of the biggest challenges that micro-businesses face is that of accessing information on providing an apprenticeship. In previous debates, I have called on the Minister to provide such information in the annual business rates mail-out, setting out just how easy it is to offer those opportunities, which are good for the business and good for the apprentice.

[Neil Parish]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. Individuals in small and micro-businesses usually work very hard and do not have much time to look through such information, and they certainly do not have anyone else to deal with that side of the administration. I am sure that the Minister will take that point on board, to ensure that such businesses have greater access to apprenticeship schemes.

In my constituency of Tiverton and Honiton, both those towns contain many little manufacturing and engineering businesses that are taking on apprentices, as do Axminster, Seaton and Cullompton. I was an unofficial apprentice; I was milking cows at 13. My father—God rest his soul—did not believe in paying anybody, and certainly not his own son. Seriously, though, agriculture nowadays has changed. Anyone who drives tractors will know that they light up like a Christmas tree. They are full of computers, and probably cost between £50,000 and £60,000. People need really good skills to be able to drive them. Similarly, the machinery used in engineering businesses is all computerised. Apprentices need greater skills now than ever before, and this is linked to education and to colleges. Petroc college in Tiverton, for example, is creating more and more links to apprenticeships. That needs to be done; colleges need to link into businesses in that way. Constituencies such as mine have a lot of agriculture and a lot of tourism. They also contain many eating establishments and other businesses that can build in apprenticeships to provide real skills and meaningful jobs.

I want to echo the comment from other Members. Bringing young people and older people—especially those who are not used to working—into apprenticeships and retraining can give them valuable experience of work. That is where small companies and micro-businesses can be useful, because one-to-one interaction between the employer and the apprentice will give the apprentice the confidence to carry on and build a career. It is a matter of giving people confidence and the ability to work.

My final point is on the youth schemes designed to help young people. There are 40,000 places on those schemes, and I hope that we will be able to find a bit more money, even in these difficult times, to fund a few more places. I think we all agree that we want to see all our young people in jobs. It is rather rich of the Labour party to knock what we are doing when we have doubled the number of apprenticeship schemes, and are now adding the youth schemes to help young people. We saw a rise in youth unemployment during Labour’s time in office. The Labour Government created a huge boom in the economy, only to create a huge bust afterwards. Youth unemployment rose during that time, and we are going to have to fight hard to get those people back into work and to get the apprenticeship schemes running so that we can give young people a great future.

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Parish Excerpts

Thursday 18th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Prisk]

We still have the lending targets. The key thing is enforcement, which, despite the chuntering from those on the Opposition Front Bench, the last Government failed to do. What is important is that we now have a new lending code. The hon. Lady is absolutely right to say that businesses—whether they be eBay-based or real rather than virtual or online businesses—want a lending code and a proper appeal process. We have those, and I am determined to make sure that we enforce them.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

A firm in my constituency cannot get money from the banks, which, if they do lend, do so at a 25% interest rate. It is a very successful company, but the banks, in order to gain liquidity, are stopping lending. We really must put more pressure on them.

[Mr Prisk]

I agree with my hon. Friend. Let me make it very clear again that when right hon. and hon. Members find unreasonable behaviour from the banks, they should ensure that it is raised with them and they should copy me in. When we find that evidence, we will challenge the banks vigorously.