Insolvency Act 1985

[F1213 Co-operation between courts exercising jurisdiction in relation to insolvency law.U.K.

(1)An order made by a court in any part of the United Kingdom in the exercise of jurisdiction in relation to insolvency law shall be enforced in any other part of the United Kingdom as if it were made by a court exercising the corresponding jurisdiction in that other part ; but, without prejudice to the following provisions of this section, nothing in this subsection shall require a court in any part of the United Kingdom to enforce, in relation to property situated in that part, any order made by a court in any other part of the United Kingdom.

(2)The Secretary of State, with the concurrence in relation to property situated in EngIand and Wales of the Lord Chancellor, may by order make provision for securing that a trustee or assignee under the insolvency law of any part of the United Kingdom has, with such modifications as may be specified in the order, the same rights in relation to any property situated in another part of the United Kingdom as he would have in the corresponding circumstances if he were a trustee or assignee circumstances under the insolvency law of that other part.

(3)The courts having jurisdiction in relation to insolvency law in any part of the United Kingdom shall assist the courts having the corresponding jurisdiction in any other part of the United Kingdom or any relevant country or territory.

(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) above a request made to a court in any part of the United Kingdom by a court in any other part of the United Kingdom or in a relevant country or territory shall be authority for the court to which the request is made to apply, in relation to any matters specified in the request, the insolvency law which is applicable by either court in relation to comparable matters falling within its jurisdiction ; and in exercising its discretion under this subsection, a court shall have regard in particular to the rules of private international law.

(5)Where a person who is a trustee or assignee under the insolvency law of any part of the United Kingdom claims property situated in any other part of the United Kingdom (whether by virtue of an order under subsection (2) above or otherwise), the submission of that claim to the court exercising jurisdiction in relation to insolvency law in that other part shall be treated in the same manner as a request made by a court for the purposes of subsection (3) above.

(6)Section 38 of the M1Criminal Law Act 1977 (execution of warrant of arrest throughout the United Kingdom) shall apply to a warrant which, in exercise of any jurisdiction in relation to insolvency law, is issued in any part of the United Kingdom for the arrest of a person as it applies to a warrant issued in that part of the United Kingdom for the arrest of a person charged with an offence.

(7)Without prejudice to any power to make rules of court, any power to make provision by subordinate legislation for the purpose of giving effect in relation to companies or individuals to the insolvency law of any part of the United Kingdom shall include power to make provision for the purpose of giving effect in that part to any provision made by or under the preceding provisions of this section.

(8)An order under subsection (2) above shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(9)In this section “insolvency law” means—

(a)in relation to England and Wales, provision extending to England and Wales and made by or under this Act or Parts XIX to XXI of the 1985 Act;

(b)in relation to Scotland, provision extending to Scotland and made by or under this Act, Parts XVIII to XXI of the 1985 Act or the M2Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985;

(c)in relation to Northern Ireland, provision made by or under the Bankruptcy Acts (Northern Ireland) 1857 to 1980, Part V, VI or IX of the M3Companies Act (Northern Ireland) 1960 or Part IV of the M4Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1978;

(d)in relation to any relevant country or territory, so much of the law of that country or territory as corresponds to provisions falling within any of the foregoing paragraphs;

and references in this subsection to any enactment include, in relation to any time before the coming into force of that enactment, references to the corresponding enactment in force at that time.

(10)In this section “relevant country or territory” means—

(a)any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man; or

(b)any country or territory designated for the purposes of this section by the Secretary of State by order made by statutory instrument.]