Insolvency Act 1986

Liquidation committeesE+W+S

141 Liquidation committee (England and Wales).E+W+S

[F1(1)Where a winding-up order has been made by the court in England and Wales and separate meetings of creditors and contributories have been summoned for the purpose of choosing a person to be liquidator, those meetings may establish a committee (“the liquidation committee”) to exercise the functions conferred on it by or under this Act.

(2)The liquidator (not being the official receiver) may at any time, if he thinks fit, summon separate general meetings of the company’s creditors and contributories for the purpose of determining whether such a committee should be established and, if it is so determined, of establishing it.

The liquidator (not being the official receiver) shall summon such a meeting if he is requested, in accordance with the rules, to do so by one-tenth, in value, of the company’s creditors.

(3)Where meetings are summoned under this section, or for the purpose of choosing a person to be liquidator, and either the meeting of creditors or the meeting of contributories decides that a liquidation committee should be established, but the other meeting does not so decide or decides that a committee should not be established, the committee shall be established in accordance with the rules, unless the court otherwise orders.]

[F1(1)This section applies where a winding up order has been made by the court in England and Wales.

(2)If both the company's creditors and the company's contributories decide that a liquidation committee should be established, a liquidation committee is to be established in accordance with the rules.

(3)If only the company's creditors, or only the company's contributories, decide that a liquidation committee should be established, a liquidation committee is to be established in accordance with the rules unless the court orders otherwise.

(3A)A “liquidation committee” is a committee having such functions as are conferred on it by or under this Act.

(3B)The liquidator must seek a decision from the company's creditors and contributories as to whether a liquidation committee should be established if requested, in accordance with the rules, to do so by one-tenth in value of the company's creditors.

(3C)Subsection (3B) does not apply where the liquidator is the official receiver.]

(4)The liquidation committee is not to be able or required to carry out its functions at any time when the official receiver is liquidator; but at any such time its functions are vested in the Secretary of State except to the extent that the rules otherwise provide.

(5)Where there is for the time being no liquidation committee, and the liquidator is a person other than the official receiver, the functions of such a committee are vested in the Secretary of State except to the extent that the rules otherwise provide.

142 Liquidation committee (Scotland).E+W+S

[F2(1)Where a winding-up order has been made by the court in Scotland and separate meetings of creditors and contributories have been summoned for the purpose of choosing a person to be liquidator or, under section 138(4), only a meeting of creditors has been summoned for that purpose, those meetings or (as the case may be) that meeting may establish a committee (“the liquidation committee”) to exercise the functions conferred on it by or under this Act.

(2)The liquidator may at any time, if he thinks fit, summon separate general meetings of the company’s creditors and contributories for the purpose of determining whether such a committee should be established and, if it is so determined, of establishing it.

(3)The liquidator, if appointed by the court otherwise than under section 139(4)(a), is required to summon meetings under subsection (2) if he is requested, in accordance with the rules, to do so by one-tenth, in value, of the company’s creditors.

(4)Where meetings are summoned under this section, or for the purpose of choosing a person to be liquidator, and either the meeting of creditors or the meeting of contributories decides that a liquidation committee should be established, but the other meeting does not so decide or decides that a committee should not be established, the committee shall be established in accordance with the rules, unless the court otherwise orders.]

[F2(1)This section applies where a winding up order has been made by the court in Scotland.

(2)If both the company's creditors and the company's contributories decide that a liquidation committee should be established, a liquidation committee is to be established in accordance with the rules.

(3)If only the company's creditors, or only the company's contributories, decide that a liquidation committee should be established, a liquidation committee is to be established in accordance with the rules unless the court orders otherwise.

(4)A liquidator appointed by the court other than under section 139(4)(a) must seek a decision from the company's creditors and contributories as to whether a liquidation committee should be established if requested, in accordance with the rules, to do so by one-tenth in value of the company's creditors.]

(5)Where in the case of any winding up there is for the time being no liquidation committee, the functions of such a committee are vested in the court except to the extent that the rules otherwise provide.

(6)[F3In addition to the powers and duties conferred and imposed on it by this Act, a liquidation committee has] [F3A “liquidation committee” is a committee having the powers and duties conferred and imposed on it by this Act, and ] such of the powers and duties of commissioners in a sequestration as may be conferred and imposed on such committees by the rules.