Clause 71
Company Law Reform Bill [Lords]
1:30 pm
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch, Conservative)
The clause makes detailed provision for company names adjudicators, but raises a number of questions. How many company names adjudicators will be created? What will be their annual cost? How will that cost be met? Will the adjudicator service be met out of fees and costs charged to relevant companies or from another source? What functions will be assigned to the chief adjudicator? To whom will the chief adjudicator and the company names adjudicators be accountable? Will appointments be full-time or part-time? How many other staff will be employed? Whose offices will the adjudicators work from? Will the chief adjudicator have a separate office? Where will hearings be held—in court rooms or other buildings? What requirements are there for adjudicators to report on their work to Parliament or any other body?
I would be grateful for some clarification. The wording in clause 71 is brief and talks about the appointment, but we do not have the context or the information about what that will mean practically. I would be grateful for the Minister’s response on at least some of those issues.