Search Legislation

Insolvency Act 1986

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

 Help about opening options

Opening OptionsExpand opening options

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: The Proposal

 Help about opening options

Version Superseded: 01/10/2009

Status:

Point in time view as at 13/04/2005.

Changes to legislation:

Insolvency Act 1986, Cross Heading: The Proposal is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

The ProposalE+W+S

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 [F2or authorised to act as nominee, in relation to the voluntary arrangement].

(3)Such a proposal may also be made—

[F3(a)where the company is in administration, by the administrator,]

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

[F4(4)In this Part “company” means—

(a)a company within the meaning of section 735(1) of the Companies Act 1985,

(b)a company incorporated in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; or

(c)a company not incorporated in an EEA State but having its centre of main interests in a member State other than Denmark.

(5)In subsection (4), in relation to a company, “centre of main interests” has the same meaning as in the EC Regulation and, in the absence of proof to the contrary, is presumed to be the place of its registered office (within the meaning of that 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

F1Words 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))

F2Words 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)

F3S. 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))

F4S. 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)

[F51A Moratorium.E+W+S

(1)Where the directors of an eligible company intend to make a proposal for a voluntary arrangement, they may take steps to obtain a moratorium for the company.

(2)The provisions of Schedule A1 to this Act have effect with respect to—

(a)companies eligible for a moratorium under this section,

(b)the procedure for obtaining such a moratorium,

(c)the effects of such a moratorium, and

(d)the procedure applicable (in place of sections 2 to 6 and 7) in relation to the approval and implementation of a voluntary arrangement where such a moratorium is or has been in force.]

Textual Amendments

F5S. 1A inserted (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 1, Sch. 1 para. 2; S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

2 Procedure where nominee is not the liquidator or administrator.E+W+S

(1)This section applies where the nominee under section 1 is not the liquidator or administrator of the company [F6and the directors do not propose to take steps to obtain a moratorium under section 1A for the company].

(2)The nominee shall, within 28 days (or such longer period as the court may allow) after he is given notice of the proposal for a voluntary arrangement, submit a report to the court stating—

(a)

[F7whether, in his opinion, the proposed voluntary arrangement has a reasonable prospect of being approved and implemented,

F7(aa)] whether, in his opinion, meetings of the company and of its creditors should be summoned to consider the proposal, and

(b)if in his opinion such meetings should be summoned, the date on which, and time and place at which, he proposes the meetings should be held.

(3)For the purposes of enabling the nominee to prepare his report, the person intending to make the proposal shall submit to the nominee—

(a)a document setting out the terms of the proposed voluntary arrangement, and

(b)a statement of the company’s affairs containing—

(i)such particulars of its creditors and of its debts and other liabilities and of its assets as may be prescribed, and

(ii)such other information as may be prescribed.

[F8(4)The court may—

(a)on an application made by the person intending to make the proposal, in a case where the nominee has failed to submit the report required by this section or has died, or

(b)on an application made by that person or the nominee, in a case where it is impracticable or inappropriate for the nominee to continue to act as such,

direct that the nominee be replaced as such by another person qualified to act as an insolvency practitioner, or authorised to act as nominee, in relation to the voluntary arrangement.]

Textual Amendments

F6Words in s. 2(1) added (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 1, Sch. 1 para. 3; S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

F7Words in s. 2(2) inserted (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 2, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 3(a); S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

F8S. 2(4) substituted (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 2, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 3(b); S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

3 Summoning of meetings.E+W+S

(1)Where the nominee under section 1 is not the liquidator or administrator, and it has been report to the court that such meetings as are mentioned in section 2(2) should be summoned, the person making the report shall (unless the court otherwise directs) summon those meetings for the time, date and place proposed in the report.

(2)Where the nominee is the liquidator or administrator, he shall summon meetings of the company and of its creditors to consider the proposal for such a time, date and place as he thinks fit.

(3)The persons to be summoned to a creditors’ meeting under this section are every creditor of the company of whose claim and address the person summoning the meeting is aware.

Back to top

Options/Help

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules as a PDF

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?