PART XIIIN.I.PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Official receiversN.I.

Appointment, etc., of official receiversN.I.

355.—(1) The Department may appoint one or more than one officer of the Department as official receiver for Northern Ireland.

(2) The Department may give directions with respect to the disposal of the business of official receivers.

Functions and status of official receiversN.I.

356.—(1) In addition to any functions conferred on him by this Order, an official receiver shall carry out such other functions as may be conferred on him by the Department.

(2) In the exercise of the functions of his office an official receiver shall act under the general authority and direction of the Department, but shall also be an officer of the High Court.

(3) Any property vested in an officer of the Department in his official capacity as official receiver shall, on his dying, ceasing to hold office or being otherwise succeeded in relation to the bankruptcy or winding up in question by another official receiver, vest in his successor without any conveyance, assignment or transfer.

Deputy official receiversN.I.

357.—(1) The Department may, if it thinks it expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of the business of official receiver, appoint one or more than one officer of the Department as deputy official receiver.

(2) Subject to any directions given by the Department under Article 355 or 356, a deputy official receiver has, on such conditions and for such period as may be specified in the terms of his appointment, the same status and functions as an official receiver.

Insolvency AccountN.I.

Insolvency AccountN.I.

358.—(1) An account, to be called the Insolvency Account, shall continue to be kept by the Department with such bank as may be agreed with the Department of Finance and Personnel.

(2) The Department may, with the agreement of the Department of Finance and Personnel, invest any money from time to time standing to the credit of the Insolvency Account.

(3) The Department shall in respect of each year ending on 31st March prepare an account, in such form and manner as the Department of Finance and Personnel may direct, of sums credited and debited to the Insolvency Account during that year.

(4) On or before 31st August in each year the Department shall transmit to the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland the account prepared under paragraph (3) in respect of the year ending on the preceding 31st March and the Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine and certify such account and the Department shall lay copies thereof, together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon, before the Assembly.

(5) On or before 31st March in each year the Department shall pay into the Consolidated Fund the amount of any lodgment made into the Insolvency Account of unclaimed dividends and unapplied or undistributed balances, which has remained unclaimed for a period of at least 2 years from the date of lodgment.

[F1Adjustment of balancesN.I.

358A.—(1) The Department of Finance and Personnel may direct the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of sums into the Insolvency Account.

(2) The Department of Finance and Personnel shall certify to the Assembly the reason for any payment under paragraph (1).

(3) The Department may pay sums out of the Insolvency Account into the Consolidated Fund.]

Insolvency rulesN.I.

Insolvency rulesN.I.

F2F3F4[[[359.—(1) The [F5Department of Justice] may, with the concurrence of the Department and after consultation with the committee appointed under Article 360, make rules for the purpose of giving effect to this Order [F6 or the [F7EU Regulation]].

[F8(1A) Rules that affect court procedure may be made under paragraph (1) only with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice.

(1B) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under paragraph (1A)—

(a)the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b)a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).]

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), or to any provision of this Order by virtue of which rules under this Article may be made with respect to any matter, rules under this Article may contain—

(a)any such provision as is specified in Schedule 5 or corresponds to provision contained immediately before the coming into operation of this Order in rules made, or having effect as if made under Article 613(1) and (2) of [F9the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986] (old winding‐up rules), and

(b)F10 any such provision as is specified in Schedule 6 or corresponds to provision contained immediately before the coming into operation of this Order in rules made under Article 33(1) and (2) of the Bankruptcy Amendment (Northern Ireland) Order 1980F11 (old bankruptcy rules), and

(c)provision for enabling the Master (Bankruptcy) to exercise such of the jurisdiction conferred for the purposes of this Order on the High Court as may be prescribed and for enabling the review of any such jurisdiction, and

(d)such incidental, supplemental and transitional provision as may appear to the [F12Department of Justice] or, as the case may be, the Department necessary or expedient.

[F6(2A) F10 For the purposes of paragraph (2), a reference in Schedule 5 or Schedule 6 to doing anything under or for the purposes of a provision of this Order includes a reference to doing anything under or for the purposes of the [F13EU Regulation] (in so far as the provision of this Order relates to a matter to which the [F13EU Regulation] applies).

(2B) Rules under this Article for the purpose of giving effect to the [F14EU Regulation] may not create [F15a new relevant offence (see Article 366A)].]

(3) In Schedule 5 “liquidator” includes a provisional liquidator; and references in this Article to this Order are to be read as including [F16the Companies Acts] so far as relating to, and to matters connected with or arising out of, the insolvency or winding up of companies.

(4) Rules under this Article shall be subject to [F17 negative resolution].

(5) Regulations made by the Department under a power conferred by rules under this Article shall be subject to affirmative resolution.

(6) Nothing in this Article prejudices any power to make rules of court.]]]

Committee to review rules under Article 359N.I.

360.—(1) There shall[F18be a committee appointed by the Lord Chief Justice] to keep under review rules for the time being in force under Article 359 and to make recommendations to the [F19Department of Justice] as to any changes in the rules that may appear to the committee to be desirable.

(2) The committee shall consist of—

(a)the Chancery Judge;

(b)the Master (Bankruptcy);

(c)a practising barrister‐at‐law;

(d)a practising solicitor of the Supreme Court;

(e)a practising accountant; and

(f)such additional persons, if any, as appear to the[F20Lord Chief Justice] to have qualifications or experience that would be of value to the committee in considering any matter with which it is concerned.

[F21(3) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under this Article—

(a)the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b)a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).]

FeesN.I.

Fees ordersN.I.

F22F23F24[[[361.—(1) The Department may, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance and Personnel, by order subject to affirmative resolution specify the fees which shall be paid in respect of—

[F25(za)the costs of persons acting as approved intermediaries under Part 7A;]

(a)proceedings under this Order other than fees to which section 116 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978F26 (court fees, etc.) applies; and

(b)the performance by the official receiver or the Department of functions under this Order;

and the Department of Finance and Personnel may direct by whom and in what manner the fees are to be collected and accounted for.

(2) The Department may, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance and Personnel, by order subject to negative resolution provide for sums to be deposited, by such persons, in such manner and in such circumstances as may be specified in the order, by way of security for—

(a)fees payable by virtue of this Article, and

(b)F27 fees payable to any person who has prepared an insolvency practitioner's report under Article 248.

(3) An order under this Article may contain such incidental, supplemental, and transitional provisions as may appear to the Department or (as the case may be) the Department of Finance and Personnel necessary or expedient.

(4) References in paragraph (1) to this Order are to be read as including [F28the Companies Acts] so far as relating to, and to matters connected with or arising out of, the insolvency or winding up of companies.

(5) Nothing in this Article prejudices any power to make rules of court.]]]

[F29Fees orders (supplementary)N.I.

361A.—[F30(A1) The Department—

(a)may, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance and Personnel, by order subject to negative resolution require a person or body to pay a fee in connection with the grant or maintenance of a designation of that person or body as a competent authority under Article 208U, and

(b)may refuse to grant, or may withdraw, any such designation where a fee is not paid.]

(1) The Department—

(a)may, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance and Personnel, by order subject to negative resolution require a body to pay a fee in connection with the grant or maintenance of recognition of the body under Article 350, and

(b)may refuse recognition, or revoke an order of recognition under Article 350(1) [F31or (2)] by a further order, where a fee is not paid.

[F32(1A) Fees under paragraph (1) may vary according to whether the body is recognised under Article 350(1) (body providing full and partial authorisation) or under Article 350(2) (body providing partial authorisation).]

[F33(1B) In setting under paragraph (1) the amount of a fee in connection with maintenance of recognition, the matters to which the Department may have regard include, in particular, the costs of the Department in connection with any functions under Articles 350D, 350E, 350J, 350K and 350N.]

(2) The Department—

(a)may, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance and Personnel, by order subject to negative resolution require a person to pay a fee in connection with the grant or maintenance of authorisation of the person under Article 352, and

(b)may disregard an application or withdraw an authorisation where a fee is not paid.

(3) The Department may by order subject to negative resolution require the payment of fees in respect of—

(a)the operation of the Insolvency Account;

(b)payments into and out of that Account.

(4) The Department of Finance and Personnel may direct by whom and in what manner the fees are to be collected and accounted for.

(5) Paragraphs (3) and (5) of Article 361 apply to fees under this Article as they apply to fees under that Article.

[F34(5A) Article 350M applies for the purposes of an order under paragraph (1)(b) as it applies for the purposes of a revocation order made under Article 350L.]

(6) Nothing in this Article prejudices the provision contained in Article 361.]

Specification, increase and reduction of money sums relevant in the operation of this OrderN.I.

Monetary limitsN.I.

362.—(1) The Department may by order—

[F35(za)increase or reduce any of the money sums for the time being specified in the following provisions of Part 1A—

• Article 13DG(1) (maximum amount of credit which company may obtain without disclosing moratorium);

• Article 13DJ(2) (maximum amount for certain payments without obtaining monitor consent etc);

• Article 13G(2) (minimum value of company property concealed or fraudulently removed, affecting criminal liability of company's officer); or]

(a )F36increase or reduce any of the money sums for the time being specified in—

• Article 103(1)(a) (minimum debt for service of demand on company by unpaid creditor);

• Article 170(1)(a) and (b) (minimum value of company property concealed or fraudulently removed, affecting criminal liability of company's officer);

• Article 186(1) (minimum debt for service of demand on unregistered company by unpaid creditor);

• F37...

• F37...

(b )F36specify amounts for the purposes of the following provisions—

• [F38Article 208S(4) (maximum amount of credit which a person in respect of whom a debt relief order is made may obtain without disclosure of his status);]

• Article 247 (minimum value of debtor's estate determining whether immediate bankruptcy order should be made; small bankruptcies level);

• [F39Article 286A (value of property below which application for sale, possession or charge to be dismissed);]

• Article 325(1)(b) and (3) (minimum amount of concealed debt, or value of property concealed or removed, determining criminal liability under the Article);

• Article 329(1)(a) (minimum value of property taken by a bankrupt out of Northern Ireland, determining his criminal liability);

• Article 331(1)(a) (maximum amount of credit which bankrupt may obtain without disclosure of his status);

• Article 332(2)(a) (exemption of bankrupt from criminal liability for failure to keep proper accounts, if unsecured debts not more than the prescribed minimum);

• Article 335(2)(d) (minimum value of goods removed by the bankrupt, determining his liability to arrest)

• [F40paragraphs 6 to 8 of Schedule 2ZA (maximum amount of a person's debts, monthly surplus income and property for purposes of obtaining a debt relief order);] F41...

F41(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

(2) An order under this Article may contain such transitional provisions as may appear to the Department necessary or expedient.

(3) No order shall be made under this Article unless a draft of it has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of the Assembly.

Insolvency practiceN.I.

Regulations for purposes of Part XIIN.I.

363.—[F42(1) The Department may make regulations for the purpose of giving effect to Part 12 of this Order.]

[F43(2)]  Without prejudice to the generality of [F44paragraph (1) or] any provision of Part XII by virtue of which regulations may be made with respect to any matter, [F45regulations under this Article may contain] —

(a)provision as to the matters to be taken into account in determining whether a person is a fit and proper person to act as an insolvency practitioner;

(b)provision prohibiting a person from so acting in prescribed cases, being cases in which a conflict of interest will or may arise;

(c)provision imposing requirements with respect to—

(i)the preparation and keeping by a person who acts as an insolvency practitioner of prescribed books, accounts and other records, and

(ii)the production of those books, accounts and records to prescribed persons;

(d)provision conferring power on prescribed persons—

(i)to require any person who acts or has acted as an insolvency practitioner to answer any inquiry in relation to a case in which he is so acting or has so acted, and

(ii)to apply to a court to examine such a person or any other person on oath concerning such a case;

(e)provision making non‐compliance with any of the regulations a criminal offence; and

(f)such incidental, supplemental and transitional provisions as may appear to the Department necessary or expedient.

[F46(3) In making regulations under this Article, the Department must have regard to the regulatory objectives (as defined by Article 350C(3)).]

Other order‐making powersN.I.

Insolvent partnershipsN.I.

364 .F47—(1) The [F48Department of Justice] may, by order made with the concurrence of[F49 the Lord Chief Justice and] the Department, provide that such provisions of this Order, Part VI of the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland) Order 1981F50, the Land Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 1970F51 or the Registration of Deeds Acts as may be specified in the order shall apply in relation to insolvent partnerships with such modifications as may be so specified.

[F52(1ZA) The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under paragraph (1)—

(a)the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b)a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).]

[F53(1A) An order under this Article may make provision in relation to the [F54EU Regulation].

(1B) Provision made by virtue of this Article in relation to the [F55EU Regulation] may not create [F56a new relevant offence (see Article 366A)].]

(2) An order under this Article shall be subject to[F57 negative resolution].

Insolvent estates of deceased personsN.I.

365 .F58—(1) The [F59Department of Justice] may, by order made with the concurrence of[F60 the Lord Chief Justice and] the Department, provide that such provisions of this Order, Part VI of the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, the Land Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 or the Registration of Deeds Acts as may be specified in the order shall apply[F61 in relation] to the administration of the insolvent estates of deceased persons with such modifications as may be so specified.

[F62(1ZA) The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under paragraph (1)—

(a)the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b)a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).]

[F63(1A) An order under this Article may make provision in relation to the [F64EU Regulation].

(1B) Provision made by virtue of this Article in relation to the [F65EU Regulation] may not create [F66a new relevant offence (see Article 366A)].]

(2) An order under this Article shall be subject to[F67negative resolution].

(3) For the purposes of this Article the estate of a deceased person is insolvent if, when realised, it will be insufficient to meet in full all the debts and other liabilities to which it is subject.

[F68Insolvent estates: joint tenanciesN.I.

365A.—(1) This Article applies where—

(a)an insolvency administration order has been made in respect of the insolvent estate of a deceased person,

(b)the petition for the order was presented after the commencement of this Article and within the period of 5 years beginning with the day on which he died, and

(c)immediately before his death he was beneficially entitled to an interest in any property as joint tenant.

(2) For the purpose of securing that debts and other liabilities to which the estate is subject are met, the High Court may, on an application by the trustee appointed pursuant to the insolvency administration order, make an order under this Article requiring the survivor to pay to the trustee an amount not exceeding the value lost to the estate.

(3) In determining whether to make an order under this Article, and the terms of such an order, the High Court must have regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the interests of the deceased's creditors and of the survivor; but, unless the circumstances are exceptional, the Court must assume that the interests of the deceased's creditors outweigh all other considerations.

(4) The order may be made on such terms and conditions as the High Court thinks fit.

(5) Any sums required to be paid to the trustee in accordance with an order under this Article shall be comprised in the estate.

(6) The modifications of this Order which may be made by an order under Article 365 include any modifications which are necessary or expedient in consequence of this Article.

(7) In this Article “survivor” means the person who, immediately before the death, was beneficially entitled as joint tenant with the deceased or, if the person who was so entitled dies after the making of the insolvency administration order, his personal representatives.

(8) If there is more than one survivor—

(a)an order under this Article may be made against all or any of them, but

(b)no survivor shall be required to pay more than so much of the value lost to the estate as is properly attributable to him.

(9) In this Article—

• “insolvency administration order” has the same meaning as in any order under Article 365 having effect for the time being,

• “value lost to the estate” means the amount which, if paid to the trustee, would in the High Court's opinion restore the position to what it would have been if the deceased had been adjudged bankrupt immediately before his death.]

[F69Formerly authorised banks]N.I.

366.—[F70(1) The Department may, by order subject to negative resolution, after consultation with the [F71Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority] provide that specified provisions in [F72Parts 1A to 7] shall apply with specified modifications in relation to any person who—

(a)has a liability in respect of a deposit which he accepted in accordance with the Banking Act 1979 or 1987, but

(b)does not have permission under Part IV of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (regulated activities) to accept deposits.

(1A) Paragraph (1)(b) shall be construed in accordance with—

(a)section 22 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (classes of regulated activity and categories of investment),

(b)any relevant order under that section, and

(c)Schedule 2 to that Act (regulated activities).]

(2) F73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F74Meaning of “relevant offence”N.I.

366A.  In Articles 359(2B), 364(1B) and 365(1B), a “relevant offence” is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment for more than two years or punishable on summary conviction with imprisonment for more than three months or with a fine of more than level 5 on the standard scale (if not calculated on a daily basis) or with a fine of more than £100 a day.]