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02 December 2016 / Graham McPhie
Issue: 7728 / Categories: Features , Commercial
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Conflict of interest

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Graham McPhie reports on resolving the tension between bankruptcy & pension rights

  • Horton v Henry [2016] EWCA Civ 989, [2016] All ER (D) 50 (Oct) has settled a conflict between two High Court decisions regarding whether a trustee in bankruptcy was entitled to force a bankrupt to take a pension not yet in payment.

In Raithatha v Williamson (a bankrupt) [2012] EWHC 909 (Ch), [2012] 3 All ER 1028 the High Court determined that a bankrupt’s entitlement to compel payment of pension benefits fell to be included in the assessment of his income within the meaning of s 310(7) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986).

The High Court in Henry v Horton [2014] EWHC 4209 (Ch), [2014] All ER (D) 193 (Dec) declined to follow Raithatha on the grounds that it was wrong on the effect of s 310(7).

The Court of Appeal formulated the question as follows: “Does a pension entitlement in respect of which a bankrupt has a present right to elect to draw down payment (but which

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Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

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Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
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