Tim Moss Director of Corporate Strategy

Presentation  Overview of Companies House  Fraud facts and Figures  Current Work  Prevention  Future Actions  Questions

Our vision … is to excel as a registration authority and source of public information, for the benefit of the UK economy.

Companies House Our role:  we are a registry  we receive documents as laid down in the CA, and  we make them available to the public  We help companies comply  Chase and prosecute when they don’t Our role is not:  to tackle corporate malpractice  to make judgements on company information  to promote limited companies

 Fully Electronic Operation  Readily and freely accessible information  A cost efficient, reliable and up-to-date registry  Satisfied customers who want to use our products  Act with others in government to benefit companies and business  Skilled and committed staff who enjoy working for Companies House Our aims

Companies House  Companies House is an Executive Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry  Trading Fund with a turnover of £57 million  1,200 staff  Live register million companies  Growing at 140,000 companies per year  13,200 PLCs  Register 7 million documents this year  Image database approx. 60 million images  30 miles of paper files

Key challenges  Customer Service  “e” transformation  Efficiency  Technology Changes  New Companies Bill  Deregulation  Fraud Control

Fraud

Facts and Figures –Measured since 2002 –Approximately 50 cases a month –Over 500,000 standard filings a month (0.01%) –1 case could cost £1m.

False Filing Cases May 02 - July 05

False Filing Cases

Fraud  Key Areas –Company Hijacks –False Appointments –False Auditors –False Financial Information

Fraud  Key Issues –Statutory Basis –“Good Faith” –Nature of the Registry –Fast Registration –Deregulation Agenda –Data Validation & Cost Recovery –Document Removal

Fraud  Current Work –Focus on Hijacks –Operation Sterling –Police Liaison Officer –Publicity –Home Office Identity Fraud Steering Group –Work with Business Organisations –3 Point Plan

our 3 point plan to prevent identity fraud 1.Electronic Filing 3. Monitor 2.PROOF

Electronic filing safe and simple a secure system for the quick and easy online submission of company information STEP 1

PROOF PROtected Online Filing STEP 2

Monitor STEP 3 Get the bigger picture

Monitor get the bigger picture pre-order specified documents submitted by the companies you wish to monitor WebFiling safe and simple a secure system for the quick and easy online submission of company information Companies House Direct at your fingertips online access to the statutory records of over 22 million registered companies

Fraud  Future Work –Crime Analysis –Promote 3 Point Plan - Only 50,000 Companies on PROOF –Monitor on Webcheck –Raise Awareness –Work with Police, Business and OGDs –Evaluate Electronic validation options –Specific Offence in Company Law Reform Bill

Any Questions?