Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 36774, what discussions the Small Business Commissioner has held through its ongoing dialogue with Amazon on the impacts on small business of their DD+7 policy.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Small Business Commissioner maintains an ongoing dialogue with Amazon on issues affecting small businesses, including cases where funds are withheld. Amazon has advised that implementation of its DD+7 policy has been delayed to provide the remaining sellers transferring to the policy additional time to prepare. The policy remains a contractual matter between Amazon and its sellers.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what requirements apply to insolvency practitioners to consider information concerning ongoing Insolvency Service investigations before assigning civil claims arising from related circumstances.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no general statutory requirement for an insolvency practitioner to check with, or defer to, an ongoing Insolvency Service investigation before assigning a civil claim. Insolvency practitioners are, however, subject to statutory reporting requirements concerning the conduct of directors of insolvent companies, including a requirement to provide relevant new information to the Secretary of State. These obligations continue to apply where the information concerns matters which also give rise to a potential claim.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 26 October 2026 to Question 36380, what duties remain on an insolvency practitioner after assigning a claim to notify the assignee of new information materially affecting its merits; and which body monitors compliance with those duties.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no general requirement for an office-holder to notify a proposed defendant before assigning a claim.
Regulation 13 of the Insolvency Practitioners Regulations 2005 sets out that insolvency practitioners must maintain records sufficient to explain material decisions taken during the administration of a case. These records must be retained for six years after the office-holder’s release.
Following assignment, there is no general statutory duty to provide new information. Any obligations will depend on the terms of the assignment or directions of the Court. Recognised Professional Bodies monitor insolvency practitioners’ compliance with professional obligations.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of safeguards for the transfer and subsequent use of confidential information when insolvency claims arising from related circumstances are assigned to commercial purchasers.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department considers that existing legal and regulatory measures provide appropriate safeguards. Insolvency office holders are qualified and regulated professionals, subject to statutory duties, professional standards, and court oversight.
The Insolvency Act 1986 allows for rights of action to be assigned, and case law supports the transfer of necessary information to pursue the claim.
The transfer of information remains governed by the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Where the office holder considers it necessary, they may make an application to the court for permission before providing confidential information to the assignee.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, What mechanisms exist for checking whether claims are assigned appropriately in the process of insolvency of companies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Where a claim belonging to an insolvent company is assigned to another party, the assignee must be able to establish its legal entitlement to pursue that claim. The validity and effect of an assignment are governed by the applicable law, including, where relevant, section 136 of the Law of Property Act 1925. This provides requirements for the legal assignment of debts and other choses in action, including written assignment and written notice. Where entitlement is disputed, it can ultimately be determined by the courts. Insolvency practitioners are also subject to professional and regulatory requirements when dealing with assets of an insolvent estate.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether recognised professional bodies may investigate the propriety of an insolvency practitioner’s decision to assign a claim after ownership of that claim has transferred.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs) can investigate complaints about an insolvency practitioner’s conduct when carrying out their duties where that conduct falls short of professional or ethical standards.
This can include the practitioner’s conduct in deciding to assign a claim notwithstanding that ownership of the claim has subsequently transferred.
The Insolvency Practitioner Complaints Gateway considers whether a complaint raises a disciplinary matter for referral to the relevant RPB. Neither the Gateway nor the RPBs determine commercial or legal disputes, including disputes about ownership of a claim or the validity of its assignment, which are generally matters for the courts.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how many complaints have been investigated by a Recognised Professional Body in exercising their regulatory functions about (a) an Insolvency Practitioner and (b) the assigning of claims in the last three years.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Insolvency Service does not hold figures for the total number of complaints investigated by Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs). It records complaints referred to RPBs through the Insolvency Practitioner Complaints Gateway:
Year | Referrals to RPBs |
2025 | 166 |
2024 | 144 |
2023 | 169 |
These figures do not represent the total number of RPB investigations. Investigations may also arise following regulatory inspections or intelligence received from other sources and not every Gateway referral results in an investigation; the RPB determines whether further investigation is appropriate under its regulatory processes.
The Insolvency Service does not record assignment of claims as a separate category of complaint.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 26 October 2026 to Question 36380, what requirements apply to an insolvency practitioner to record and retain their assessment of the evidential basis, available defences and interests of creditors before assigning a claim against a former director.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no general requirement for an office-holder to notify a proposed defendant before assigning a claim.
Regulation 13 of the Insolvency Practitioners Regulations 2005 sets out that insolvency practitioners must maintain records sufficient to explain material decisions taken during the administration of a case. These records must be retained for six years after the office-holder’s release.
Following assignment, there is no general statutory duty to provide new information. Any obligations will depend on the terms of the assignment or directions of the Court. Recognised Professional Bodies monitor insolvency practitioners’ compliance with professional obligations.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what requirements apply to insolvency practitioners to notify a proposed defendant before assigning a claim and provide an opportunity to identify material factual errors.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no general requirement for an office-holder to notify a proposed defendant before assigning a claim.
Regulation 13 of the Insolvency Practitioners Regulations 2005 sets out that insolvency practitioners must maintain records sufficient to explain material decisions taken during the administration of a case. These records must be retained for six years after the office-holder’s release.
Following assignment, there is no general statutory duty to provide new information. Any obligations will depend on the terms of the assignment or directions of the Court. Recognised Professional Bodies monitor insolvency practitioners’ compliance with professional obligations.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support is available to life sciences businesses to move from pilot-scale production to commercial manufacturing in the UK.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government supports life sciences businesses from early-stage development through to commercial manufacturing. UK Research and Innovation and the Catapult Network provide funding, expertise and specialist facilities to help businesses develop, test and demonstrate technologies at small and pilot scale.
For businesses ready to invest at commercial scale, the Government has committed up to £520 million for life sciences manufacturing through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund. The fund provides capital grants to support UK-wide investment in the manufacture of medicines, medical diagnostics and MedTech products. To date, £115m has been committed to 10 projects, unlocking £843m of private investment.