Responsibility for assessing the conduct and performance of insolvency practitioners in their role as Administrators falls to the Regulatory Professional Body of which they are a member. The role of the Secretary of State, through the Insolvency Service, is to ensure that these bodies are effectively undertaking their regulatory functions.<\/p>
<\/p>
In June 2014, an Employment Tribunal judgement was handed down which was critical of the role of the Administrators (from Deloitte) in their handling of redundancies involving approximately 6,500 employees following the collapse of Comet, a large national retailer of electrical goods. The judgement was referred by the Insolvency Service to the Administrators\u2019 Regulatory Professional Body, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for consideration of disciplinary action. That investigation is currently on-going.<\/p>
<\/p>
An Employment Tribunal had previously made criticisms of the Administrators of WW Realisations 1 Limited formerly known as Woolworths (also from Deloitte). That matter was also referred by the Insolvency Service to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales for consideration. No disciplinary action was taken as a result of that investigation.<\/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" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T15:34:24.9127523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Deloitte"} , "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 assessment the Insolvency Service has made of the performance of Deloitte as an appointed administrator in collective redundancy consultation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Diana Johnson"} ], "uin" : "211982"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101021", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101021/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> The objective of the British Business Bank is to ensure that finance markets work more effectively for smaller businesses. In achieving this objective, the Business Bank does not lend to or invest directly in any smaller business and instead works through and invests alongside private sector providers such as banks, peer to peer lenders, leasing companies or venture capital funds which offer a wide range of finance products.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> As part of its remit, the Business Bank regularly monitors the performance of programmes by collecting a range of data, including the ethnic background of business owners, for a number of key programmes, such as Start Up Loans. The latest data shows that as of August 31, 26% of Start Up Loans recipients identified themselves to be either Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) businesses. Around 300,000 (6%) of small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK are BAME led.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In addition, Business Bank officials and I regularly meet with key stakeholders to discuss and better understand the broader finance needs of different types of smaller businesses, in order to ensure that Business Bank programmes are targeted to address market failures.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T17:09:15.5860985Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "British Business Bank"}
, "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 research he has commissioned on the number of black and ethnic minority-owned businesses from each ethnic group which have received support as a result of investments made by the British Business Bank (BBB); what meetings he has had with BBB staff to discuss the needs of black and ethnic minority-owned businesses; and what steps were subsequently taken by the BBB to address the issues raised.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"}
], "uin" : "211991"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101024", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101024/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The new reporting requirements came into place at the start of 2014 and the data for this year is due to be published as part of the Government\u2019s UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2015. We plan to commence a review of this initiative in early 2015.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T15:39:45.4108439Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Export Controls"}
, "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 the timetable is for the implementation of the transparency initiative for open export licences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4101", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Gilbert"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Austell and Newquay"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Gilbert"}
], "uin" : "212029"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101025", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101025/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has received no representations about (a) Gold Crest Finance and (b) Hertford Solutions LLP.<\/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" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T15:29:47.5345603Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Goldcrest Finance and Hertford Solutions"}
, "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, what representations he has received about (a) Gold Crest Finance and (b) Hertford Solutions LLP.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3910", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guto Bebb"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aberconwy"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Guto Bebb"}
], "uin" : "211997"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100843", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100843/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has not undertaken a formal assessment of the merits of pro-active investigations but believes they are an important part of enforcement.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC published findings from their targeted social care evaluation on 25 November 2013. Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC had made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Of the cases completed by the end of September 2014, HMRC have found non-compliance in 108 (48%) of their enquiries, identifying £1,319,729 arrears of pay for 6,550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> As part of this targeted enforcement activity, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies to improve understanding of compliance risks and design controls within payroll systems that prevent workers being underpaid the minimum wage.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>