Statutory investigations by the Department of Trade and Industry (now Business, Innovation and Skills) using Companies Act powers are confidential and their findings cannot be disclosed outside strict statutory gateways.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) did not directly investigate the collapse of Scottish Power\u2019s Power Plan. In 2003 an investigation was undertaken by the OFT into the terms and conditions used in contracts with consumers purchasing goods under the PowerPlan scheme sold by Scottish Power plc. As a result a series of recommendations regarding those terms and conditions were made to the companies who operated the scheme, and I understand that the recommendations were implemented by the companies before they entered insolvency.<\/p>
<\/p>
More generally, the OFT investigated the market for extended warranties in the UK in 2002 and, having found that competition in the market did not appear to be working effectively, referred the market to the Competition Commission (CC). Following the CC\u2019s report in 2003, the DTI implemented the Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order which came into force in April 2005. The OFT undertook a further study of the market for extended warranties in 2012.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Swinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-06T17:15:43.73Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Scottish Power"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made on implementing the findings of the original report compiled by the Office of Fair Trading and Department of Trade and Industry regarding the collapse of Scottish Power's Power Plan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Walton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Rotheram"} ], "uin" : "218594"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170297", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170297/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The initial report from Mr MacDonald was received on 17 July 2014 for review by the Insolvency Service. Further information including another more detailed report was received from him during September and October 2014, and these again have been reviewed by the Insolvency Service. The reports are confidential.<\/p>
<\/p>
The reports themselves do not require a direct response but I can confirm that the Insolvency Service has completed its review of this material and is in communication with Mr MacDonald.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Swinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-17T11:11:20.067Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Scottish Power"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he received reports from the MacDonald Partnership in relation to mis-sold Scottish Power Power Plan warranties; what the titles of such reports were; and when he plans to respond to those reports.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Walton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Rotheram"} ], "uin" : "218595"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170298", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170298/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> No meetings have been held between myself, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills or other ministerial colleagues concerning this matter. The Secretary of State and I have both met with the Insolvency Service for briefing on their conclusions following review of material submitted by liquidators of two companies involved in administering the cash-back warranty scheme.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
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}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what meetings he has had with his ministerial colleagues on what steps to take in response to allegations that Scottish Power mis-sold cashback warranties in the 1990s.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Rotheram"}
], "uin" : "218620"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170299", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170299/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Investigations conducted under section 447 Companies Act 1985 are confidential, therefore it is not possible to announce whether or not such an investigation is taking place, or to report on the investigation outside of strict statutory gateways.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Whether or not an investigation under section 432 Companies Act 1985 is being undertaken is something which can be announced, and I am able to confirm that such an investigation will not be commenced at this stage.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Because the liquidation of the companies involved in the scheme is still under way, I do not propose to make a public announcement about the outcome of any review. However the creditors of those companies will receive reports from the liquidators if they are to be paid further dividends.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
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, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Scottish Power"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to keep the people who lost money following the failure of firms involved in Scottish Power's cash back warranty scheme updated on progress on the review of whether there will be a further investigation of that matter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Walton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Rotheram"}
], "uin" : "218621"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170300", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170300/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " For the financial year 2014-15 The Insolvency Service anticipates conducting between 140 and 160 investigations under section 447 Companies Act 1985. This is part of the normal function of the Insolvency Service so I can confirm that investigations will be conducted using this power in the next six months, though it is not possible to say how many.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The circumstances giving rise to an investigation using section 432 Companies Act 1985 are much less common, and I cannot at present state whether any such investigations will be commenced within the next six months.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Insolvency Service plans to conduct any inquiries under sections 432 or 447 of the Companies Act 1985 in the next six months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Rotheram"}
], "uin" : "218622"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/164115", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/164115/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The outcome and recommendations of the review have just been passed to me and I will need to consider them. Any enquiry into this matter may be by way of a publicly announced inspection or a confidential investigation. If a public inspection is to be carried out this will be announced in due course.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"}
}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-26T15:22:25.18Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to keep the people who lost money following the failure of firms involved in Scottish Power's cashback warranty scheme updated on progress on the review of whether there will be further investigations of that matter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4035", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Rotheram"}
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