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The Postal Administration Rules (Northern Ireland) 2021

S.R. 2021/257 · Made 9 September 2021

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Insolvency

Companies

Made 9th September 2021

Coming into operation 11th October 2021

The Department of Justice makes the following Rules in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 359 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989f1 and subsections 73(3) and (4) of the Postal Services Act 2011f2, with the concurrence of the Department for the Economyf3 and in relation to those Rules that affect court procedure, with the concurrence of the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, under Article 359(1A)f4 of that Order.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

S.I. 1989/2405 (N.I.19). Article 359 was amended by the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 223), section 15 of and paragraph 81 of Schedule 5 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c.4); Article 15(1) and (5) of and paragraph 142 of Schedule 18 to the (Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976) and by the Insolvency Amendment (EU 2015/848) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/702).

f2

2011 c.5. Section 73(4) and 87(2) of that Act disapply Article 360(2) of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/2405 (N.I.19)) (duty to consult the Insolvency Rules Committee before making rules under Article 359 of the 1989 Order).

f3

Formerly the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, see the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c. 5, section 1(3) and Schedule 1).

f4

Article 359(1A) was inserted by paragraph 81 of Schedule 5 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 c. 4.

Contents

  1. Part 1: Introductory Provisions
  2. 1Citation and commencement
  3. 2Construction and interpretation
  4. 3Extent
  5. Part 2: Appointment of Postal Administrator by Court
  6. 4Affidavit in support of administration application
  7. 5Form of application
  8. 6Contents of application and affidavit in support
  9. 7Filing of application
  10. 8Service of application
  11. 9Notice to Enforcement of Judgments Office
  12. 10Manner in which service to be effected
  13. 11Proof of service
  14. 12The hearing
  15. 13Notice of postal administration order
  16. Part 3: Process of Postal Administration
  17. 14Notification and advertisement of postal administrator’s appointment
  18. 15Notice requiring statement of affairs
  19. 16Verification and filing
  20. 17Limited disclosure
  21. 18Release from duty to submit statement of affairs; extension of time
  22. 19Expenses of statement of affairs
  23. 20Postal administrator’s proposals
  24. 21Limited disclosure of paragraph 50 statement
  25. Part 4: MEETINGS AND REPORTS
  26. Chapter 1: Creditors Meetings
  27. 22Creditors’ meetings generally
  28. 23The chair at meetings
  29. 24Creditors’ meeting for nomination of alternative liquidator
  30. 25Notice of meetings by advertisement only
  31. 26Entitlement to vote
  32. 27Admission and rejection of claims
  33. 28Secured creditors
  34. 29Holders of negotiable instruments
  35. 30Hire-purchase, conditional sale and chattel leasing agreements
  36. 31Resolutions
  37. 32Minutes
  38. 33Revision of the postal administrator’s proposals
  39. 34Reports to creditors
  40. Chapter 2: Company Meetings
  41. 35Venue and conduct of company meeting
  42. Part 5: DISPOSAL OF CHARGED PROPERTY
  43. 36Authority to dispose of property
  44. Part 6: EXPENSES OF THE POSTAL ADMINISTRATION
  45. 37Priority of expenses of postal administration
  46. 38Pre-postal administration costs
  47. Part 7: DISTRIBUTION TO CREDITORS
  48. Chapter 1: Application of Part and General
  49. 39Distribution to creditors generally
  50. 40Debts of insolvent company to rank equally
  51. 41Supplementary provisions as to dividend
  52. 42Division of unsold assets
  53. Chapter 2: Machinery of Proving a Debt
  54. 43Proving a debt
  55. 44Costs of proving
  56. 45Postal administrator to allow inspection of proofs
  57. 46New postal administrator appointed
  58. 47Admission and rejection of proofs for dividend
  59. 48Appeal against decision on proof
  60. 49Withdrawal or variation of proof
  61. 50Expunging of proof by the court
  62. Chapter 3: Quantification of Claims
  63. 51Estimate of quantum
  64. 52Negotiable instruments, etc
  65. 53Secured creditors
  66. 54Discounts
  67. 55Mutual credits and set-off
  68. 56Debt in foreign currency
  69. 57Payments of a periodical nature
  70. 58Interest
  71. 59Debt payable at future time
  72. 60Value of security
  73. 61Surrender for non-disclosure
  74. 62Redemption by postal administrator
  75. 63Test of security’s value
  76. 64Realisation of security by creditor
  77. 65Notice of proposed distribution
  78. 66Admission or rejection of proofs
  79. 67Postponement or cancellation of dividend
  80. 68Declaration of dividend
  81. 69Notice of declaration of a dividend
  82. 70Payments of dividends and related matters
  83. 71Notice of no dividend, or no further dividend
  84. 72Proof altered after payment of dividend
  85. 73Secured creditors
  86. 74Disqualification from dividend
  87. 75Assignment of right to dividend
  88. 76Debt payable at future time
  89. Part 8: THE POSTAL ADMINISTRATOR
  90. 77Fixing of remuneration
  91. Part 9: ENDING POSTAL ADMINISTRATION
  92. 78Final progress reports
  93. 79Application to court
  94. 80Notification by postal administrator of court order
  95. 81Moving from postal administration to creditors’ voluntary liquidation
  96. 82Moving from postal administration to dissolution
  97. 83Provision of information to the Secretary of State
  98. Part 10: REPLACING POSTAL ADMINISTRATOR
  99. 84Grounds for resignation
  100. 85Notice of intention to resign
  101. 86Notice of resignation
  102. 87Application to court to remove postal administrator from office
  103. 88Notice of vacation of office when postal administrator ceases to be qualified to act
  104. 89Postal administrator deceased
  105. 90Application to replace
  106. 91Notification and advertisement of appointment of replacement postal administrator
  107. 92Notification and advertisement of appointment of joint postal administrator
  108. 93Notification to Registrar
  109. 94Postal administrator’s duties on vacating office
  110. Part 11: COURT PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE
  111. Chapter 1: Applications
  112. 95Preliminary
  113. 96Form and contents of application
  114. 97Application under Article 150A(5) of the 1989 Order to disapply Article 150A of the 1989 Order
  115. 98Filing and service of application
  116. 99Notice of application under Article 150A(5) of the 1989 Order
  117. 100Hearings without notice
  118. 101Hearing of application
  119. 102Affidavits—general
  120. 103Filing and service of affidavits
  121. 104Use of reports
  122. 105Adjournment of hearing; directions
  123. Chapter 2: Shorthand Writers
  124. 106Nomination and appointment of shorthand writers
  125. 107Remuneration
  126. Chapter 3: Enforcement Procedures
  127. 108Enforcement of court orders
  128. 109Orders enforcing compliance with the Rules
  129. 110Warrants under Article 200 of the 1989 Order
  130. Chapter 4: Court Records and Returns
  131. 111Court file
  132. Chapter 5: Costs and Taxation
  133. 112Application of Chapter 5
  134. 113Requirement to tax costs
  135. 114Procedure where taxation required
  136. 115Costs paid otherwise than out of the assets of the company
  137. 116Award of costs against postal administrator
  138. 117Applications for costs
  139. 118Costs and expenses of witnesses
  140. 119Final costs certificate
  141. Chapter 6: Persons who Lack Capacity to Manage their Affairs
  142. 120Introductory
  143. 121Appointment of another person to act
  144. 122Affidavit in support of application
  145. 123Service of notices following appointment
  146. Chapter 7: Appeals in Postal Administration Proceedings
  147. 124Appeals and reviews of postal administration orders
  148. 125Procedure on appeal
  149. Chapter 8: General
  150. 126Principal court rules and practice to apply
  151. 127Right of audience
  152. 128Formal defects
  153. 129Service of orders staying proceedings
  154. 130Payment into court
  155. 131Discovery
  156. 132Office copies of documents
  157. Part 12: PROXIES AND COMPANY REPRESENTATION
  158. 133Definition of “proxy”
  159. 134Issue and use of forms
  160. 135Use of proxies at meetings
  161. 136Retention of proxies
  162. 137Right of inspection
  163. 138Proxy-holder with financial interest
  164. 139Company representation
  165. Part 13: EXAMINATION OF PERSONS IN POSTAL ADMINISTRATION PROCEEDINGS
  166. 140Preliminary
  167. 141Form and contents of application
  168. 142Order for examination, etc
  169. 143Procedure for examination
  170. 144Record of examination
  171. 145Costs of proceedings under Article 200
  172. Part 14: MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
  173. 146Power of Department to regulate certain matters
  174. 147Costs, expenses, etc
  175. 148Provable debts
  176. 149False claim of status as creditor, etc
  177. 150Punishment of offences
  178. Part 15: PROVISIONS OF GENERAL EFFECT
  179. Chapter 1: The Giving of Notice and the Supply of Documents—general
  180. 151Application
  181. 152Personal delivery of documents
  182. 153Postal delivery of documents
  183. 154Non-receipt of notice of meeting
  184. 155Notice etc to solicitors
  185. Chapter 2: The Giving of Notice and the Supply of Documents by or to a Postal administrator etc
  186. 156Application
  187. 157Proof of sending etc
  188. 158Use of websites by postal administrator
  189. 159Special provision on account of expense as to website
  190. 160Notice etc to joint postal administrators
  191. Chapter 3: Service of Court Documents
  192. 161Application of Order 65 of the Rules of the Court of Judicature to service of court documents within the jurisdiction
  193. 162Service on joint postal administrators
  194. 163Application of Order 65 of the Rules of the Court of Judicature to service of court documents outside the jurisdiction
  195. Chapter 4: Meetings
  196. 164Quorum at meeting of creditors
  197. 165Remote attendance at meetings of creditors
  198. 166Action where person excluded
  199. 167Indication to excluded person
  200. 168Complaint
  201. Chapter 5: Forms
  202. 169Forms for use in postal administration proceedings
  203. Chapter 6: Gazette Notices
  204. 170Contents of notices to be gazetted under the 1989 Order or the Rules
  205. 171Omission of unobtainable information
  206. 172The Gazette—general
  207. Chapter 7: Notices Advertised Otherwise than in the Gazette
  208. 173Notices otherwise advertised under the 1989 Order or the Rules
  209. 174Non-Gazette notices—other provisions
  210. Chapter 8: Notifications to the Registrar
  211. 175Application of this Chapter
  212. 176Information to be contained in all notifications to the registrar
  213. 177Notifications relating to the office of postal administrator
  214. 178Notifications relating to documents
  215. 179Notifications relating to court orders
  216. 180Returns or reports of meetings
  217. 181Notifications relating to other events
  218. 182Notifications of more than one nature
  219. 183Notifications made to other persons at the same time
  220. Chapter 9: Inspection of Documents and the Provision of Information
  221. 184Confidentiality of documents—grounds for refusing inspection
  222. 185Right to copy documents
  223. 186Charges for copy documents
  224. 187Right to have list of creditors
  225. Chapter 10: Computation of Time and Time Limits
  226. 188Time
  227. Chapter 11: Security
  228. 189Postal administrator’s security
  229. Chapter 12: Notice of Order Under Article 150A(5) of the 1989 Order
  230. 190Notice of order under Article 150A(5) of the 1989 Order
  231. Part 16: Further Interpretation Provisions
  232. 191Interpretation
  233. 192“The appropriate fee”
  234. 193“Authorised deposit-taker and former authorised deposit-taker”
  235. 194“The court”; “the Master”
  236. 195“Debt”, “liability”
  237. 196“Petitioner”
  238. 197“Venue”
  239. 198Expressions used generally
  240. 199Application
  241. 200Application of the 1989 Order
  242. Signature
  243. Schedule 1Forms
  244. Schedule 2Punishment of offences under these rules
  245. Explanatory note