Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 4, paragraph (b), lines 36 and 37, to delete "has not been declared bankrupt" and substitute "is not an undischarged bankrupt".

I am advised that the reference to bankruptcy is to those in a condition of undischarged bankruptcy. As the Bill is written, however, it appears that if a person becomes bankrupt once, he or she can never be an optometrist again. Section 5 states that a person must be of "good character and repute and has not been declared bankrupt". This amendment would change that to "an undischarged bankrupt", thus clarifying the matter. That is the usual position. The disqualification from becoming the director of a company is rarely for life. In an enterprise culture, we should not impose lifetime bans.