header-logo header-logo

19 March 2009 / Mark Parkhouse , Kerry Scott
Issue: 7361 / Categories: Opinion , Local government , Public
printer mail-detail

A fair deal?

Mark Parkhouse & Kerry Scott on the criticism of pre-package administrations

* * * * * *

Insolvency issues are rarely far from the front page of most newspapers these days. In particular, the use of prepackaged administrations (pre-packs) has been the focus of vigorous recent criticism.

This article considers if the criticisms are justified and whether current provisions, including the Statement of Insolvency Practice 16 “Pre-packaged Sales in Administrations” (SIP 16) (which came into effect in England and Wales on 1 January 2009), will appease creditors' concerns.

Aims of administration

In order to consider pre-packs in context, it is first useful to recap on the aims which are imposed on administrators by legislation (Insolvency Act 1986 (as amended), Sch B1, para 3(1)):

      
      (i)     The prime objective—to rescue the company as a going concern; or

      
      (ii)     The second objective—to achieve a better result for the company's creditors as a whole than would otherwise be the case if the company were simply to be wound up (without first

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft strengthens Scottish real estate capabilitywith partner appointment

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints Brendan Ryan as partner in Public Law Projects team

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers welcomes five new barristers

NEWS
A time-restricted bank tax, a ‘roadmap to fiscal devolution’, extension to parental leave, entrepreneur’s relief and a giveaway on energy bills for households are the headlines in Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey’s 2026 Autumn Budget
A Court of Appeal judge has lamented the ‘very concerning’ state of the law on employee inventor compensation after a chemist’s case took five-and-a-half years to reach court, eventually being listed for a 37-day trial next year
The Law Society has emphasised that responsibility remains human, in a practice note on artificial intelligence (AI)
Respect orders, which enable police, councils, housing associations, transport networks and other authorities to take enforcement action against anti-social behaviour, have come into force across England and Wales
The Land Registry has launched two consultations aimed at making its information more publicly accessible, ‘Restructuring HM Land Registry fees’, and ‘Future of access to HM Land Registry information’
back-to-top-scroll