The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Duty to co-operate with office-holder

199.—(1) This Article applies as does Article 198; and it also applies, in the case of a company in respect of which a winding-up order has been made by the High Court, as if references to the office-holder included the official receiver, whether or not he is the liquidator.

(2) Each of the persons mentioned in paragraph (3) shall—

(a)give to the office-holder such information concerning the company and its promotion, formation, business, dealings, affairs or property as the office-holder may at any time after the effective date reasonably require, and

(b)attend on the office-holder at such times as the latter may reasonably require.

(3) The persons referred to in paragraph (2) are—

(a)those who are or have at any time been officers of the company,

(b)those who have taken part in the formation of the company at any time within one year before the effective date,

(c)those who are in the employment of the company, or have been in its employment (including employment under a contract for services) within that year, and are in the office-holder’s opinion capable of giving information which he requires,

(d)those who are, or have within that year been, officers of, or in the employment (including employment under a contract for services) of, another company which is, or within that year was, an officer of the company in question, and

(e)in the case of a company being wound up by the High Court, any person who has acted as administrator, administrative receiver or liquidator of the company.

(4) For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3), “the effective date” is whichever is applicable of the following dates—

(a)the date on which the administration order was made,

(b)the date on which the administrative receiver was appointed or, if he was appointed in succession to another administrative receiver, the date on which the first of his predecessors was appointed,

(c)the date on which the provisional liquidator was appointed, and

(d)the date on which the company went into liquidation.

(5) If a person without reasonable excuse fails to comply with any obligation imposed by this Article, he shall be guilty of an offence and, for continued contravention, shall be guilty of a continuing offence.