Section 391H: Appeal against financial penalty, Insolvency Act 1986

A recognised professional body on which a penalty is imposed may appeal to the court on one or more of the appeal grounds.

The appeal grounds are—

that the imposition of the penalty was not within the Secretary of State's power under section 391F;

that the requirement in respect of which the penalty was imposed had been complied with before the notice under section 391G(1) was given;

that the requirements of section 391G have not been complied with in relation to the imposition of the penalty and the interests of the body have been substantially prejudiced as a result;

that the amount of the penalty is unreasonable;

that it was unreasonable of the Secretary of State to require the penalty imposed to be paid by the time specified in the notice under section 391G(5)(c).

An appeal under this section must be made within the period of three months beginning with the day on which the notice under section 391G(4) in respect of the penalty is given to the body.

On an appeal under this section the court may—

quash the penalty,

substitute a penalty of such lesser amount as the court considers appropriate, or

in the case of the appeal ground in subsection (2)(e), substitute for the time imposed by the Secretary of State a different time.

Where the court substitutes a penalty of a lesser amount, it may require the payment of interest on the substituted penalty from such time, and at such rate, as it considers just and equitable.

Where the court substitutes a later time for the time specified in the notice under section 391G(5)(c), it may require the payment of interest on the penalty from the substituted time at such rate as it considers just and equitable.

Where the court dismisses the appeal, it may require the payment of interest on the penalty from the time specified in the notice under section 391G(5)(c) at such rate as it considers just and equitable.

In this section, "the court" means the High Court or, in Scotland, the Court of Session.

Section 391H: Appeal against financial penalty

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