Criminal Justice Act 1972

9 The Official Petitioner

(1) For the purpose of discharging the functions mentioned in subsection (2) of this section, in relation to cases in which a criminal bankruptcy order is made, there shall be an officer known as the Official Petitioner; and the Director of Public Prosecutions shall, by virtue of his office, be the Official Petitioner.

(2) The functions of the Official Petitioner shall be—

(a) to consider whether, in any such case as aforesaid, it is in the public interest that he should himself present a bankruptcy petition;

(b) to present a bankruptcy petition in any such case in which he determines that it is in the public interest that he should do so;

(c) to make payments, in such cases as he may determine, towards expenses incurred by other persons in connection with bankruptcy proceedings instituted by virtue of the making of a criminal bankruptcy order ;

(d) to exercise, so far as he considers it to be in the public interest to do so, any of the powers conferred on him by Schedule 1 to this Act.

(3) Neither the Official Petitioner nor any person acting under his authority shall be liable to any action or proceeding in respect of anything done or omitted in the discharge, or purported discharge, of the functions of the Official Petitioner under or by virtue of this Act.

(4) Any expenses of the Official Petitioner shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.