Insolvency Act 1986

1 Those who may propose an arrangement. E+W+S

(1) The directors of a company [F1 (other than one which is in administration or being wound up)] may make a proposal under this Part to the company and to its creditors for a composition in satisfaction of its debts or a scheme of arrangement of its affairs (from here on referred to, in either case, as a “voluntary arrangement”).

(2) A proposal under this Part is one which provides for some person (“the nominee”) to act in relation to the voluntary arrangement either as trustee or otherwise for the purpose of supervising its implementation; and the nominee must be a person who is qualified to act as an insolvency practitioner F2 [F3 ... in relation to the voluntary arrangement].

(3) Such a proposal may also be made—

[F4 (a) where the company is in administration, by the administrator,]

(b) where the company is being wound up, by the liquidator.

[F5 (4) In this Part “company” means—

[F6 (a) a company registered under the Companies Act 2006 in England and Wales or Scotland;]

(b) a company incorporated in an EEA State F7 ...; or

(c) a company not incorporated in an EEA State but having its centre of main interests in a member State [F8 (other than Denmark) or in the United Kingdom].

(5) In subsection (4), in relation to a company, “centre of main interests” has the same meaning as in the [F9 Article 3 of the EU Regulation].

(6) If a company incorporated outside the United Kingdom has a principal place of business in Northern Ireland, no proposal under this Part shall be made in relation to it unless it also has a principal place of business in England and Wales or Scotland (or both in England and Wales or Scotland).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 1(1) substituted (15.9.2003) by 2002 c. 40, ss. 248(3), 279, Sch. 17 para. 10(a) (with s. 249(1)-(3)(6)); S.I. 2003/2093, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (subject to arts. 3-8 (as amended by S.I. 2003/2332, art. 2))

F2 Words in s. 1(2) omitted (1.10.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(7), Sch. 6 para. 20(2)(a); S.I. 2015/1732, art. 2(e)(vi)

F3 Words in s. 1(2) substituted (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 2, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 2; S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

F4 S. 1(3)(a) substituted (15.9.2003) by 2002 c. 40, ss. 248(3), 279, Sch. 17 para. 10(b) (with s. 249(1)-(3)(6)); S.I. 2003/2093, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (subject to arts. 3-8 (as amended by S.I. 2003/2332, art. 2))

F5 S. 1(4)-(6) substituted (13.4.2005) for s. 1(4) by The Insolvency Act 1986 (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/879), reg. 2(2) (with reg. 3)

F6 S. 1(4)(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 71(2)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84)

F7 Words in s. 1(4)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Insolvency (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/146), reg. 1(3), Sch. para. 17(a) (with regs. 4, 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F8 Words in s. 1(4)(c) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Insolvency (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/146), reg. 1(3), Sch. para. 17(b) (with regs. 4, 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F9 Words in s. 1(5) substituted (26.6.2017) by The Insolvency Amendment (EU 2015/848) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/702), reg. 1, Sch. para. 2 (with regs. 3, 4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 1 modified (E.W.) (31.1.2019) by The Further Education Bodies (Insolvency) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/138), regs. 1(1), 7 (with regs. 1(2), 3(a)(ii))

C2 S. 1 restricted (24.3.2022) by Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 (c. 12), ss. 25(2)(a), 31(4) (with s. 30)

C3 Ss. 1-7B applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (15.3.2024) by The Water Industry (Special Administration) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/205), regs. 2(2), 5(1), 43-45 (with reg. 64)