Insolvency: Complaints

Mr. Weir
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints have been received by (a) the Insolvency Service and (b) the Accountant in Bankruptcy in respect of insolvency practitioners and administrators in each of the last 10 years.

Ian Lucas
The Insolvency Service does not hold the information requested.

The vast majority of insolvency practitioners are regulated by one of seven recognised professional bodies. Any complaint about the conduct of an insolvency practitioner is directed towards and dealt with by the appropriate recognised professional body.

The Insolvency Service published its first Annual Review of Insolvency Practitioner Regulation in June 2009. Information regarding the number of complaints received by the recognised professional bodies is contained within that report, and indicates that during 2008 a total of 828 complaints were received. Of those complaints, 197 related to insolvency practitioners acting as administrators.

The Insolvency Service intends to publish such a report on an annual basis in the future.

The Accountant in Bankruptcy is directly accountable to Ministers of the Scottish Parliament and does not therefore fall within the remit of this Department.