Учебный год 22-23 / Oxford Dictionary of Law, 5th Ed. (2

that can be taken as evidencing the existence of the contract. Note that land contracts entered into on or after 21 September 1989 will not even be valid unless they are in writing; the requirement of writing is no longer merely an evidential one.

unenforceable trust A trust that is valid but cannot be directly enforced by a

beneficiary. See PURPOSE TRUST.

unfair consumer practices See CONSUMER PROTECTION.

unfair contract terms Contractual terms relating to the exclusion or restriction of a person's liability that, under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, are either ineffective or effective

only so far as is reasonable. See EXCLUSION AND RESTRICTION OF NEGLIGENCE LIABILITY;

EXEMPTION CLAUSE; INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CONTRACT.

unfair dismissal The dismissal of an employee that an employment tribunal

finds is unfair. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 employees have the right not to be unfairly dismissed, provided they have served the required period of *continuous employment and are not over 65 or the normal retirement age for an employee in that particular job. However, employees dismissed for an *inadmissible reason have this right whatever their age or length of service. An employee who considers he has been unfairly dismissed can apply within three months after the *effective date of termination of his employment contract to an employment tribunal for *reinstatement, *re-engagement, or *compensation. The tribunal will make an award unless the employer can show that the principal reason for the dismissal was the employee's incapability, lack of qualifications, or conduct; redundancy; the fact that it would be illegal to continue employing him; or some other substantial reason. The tribunal must also decide that the employer acted unreasonably in dismissing the employee.

The statutory protection does not apply to the following: (1) employees ordinarily working outside Great Britain; (2)a person employed by his spouse; (3)members of the police and armed forces; (4) the crews of fishing vessels in certain circumstances; and (5) workers who, at the time of their dismissal, are taking industrial action that has lasted more than eight weeks.

unfair prejudice Unfair conduct on the part of those entrusted to run and control a company in respect of (usually minority) *company members. Any member affected may apply to the court under the Companies Act 1985, and the court is empowered under the Act to make such order as it thinks fit. Commonly, the unfair conduct consists of actions having the effect of seriously diminishing the value of the complainant's shareholding. In this instance the usual remedy sought is for the purchase of the complainant's shares at a fair price. See also MINORITY

PROTECTION.

unfavourable witness An *adverse witness who is not *hostile towards the party who called him to testify. An unfavourable witness may not be cross-examined by that party.

unfitness or incompetence See IMPUTATION OF UNFITNESS OR INCOMPETENCE.

unfit to plead Describing an accused person who is under a disability (e.g. mental incapacity) that would constitute a bar to his being tried. When the question of fitness to plead arises (e.g.when the defendant is *standing mute by visitation of God), a jury is empanelled to determine the question of the accused's fitness; if they find him under disability the court must order that the accused be admitted to a

hospital specified by the Secretary of State. The court may postpone consideration of the question of the accused's fitness to plead until the defence case is opened so that (for example) the strength of the prosecution case may be tested. The procedure is governed by the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964.

Uniform Business Rate (UBR) See RATES.

unilateral contract A contract in which one party (the promisor) undertakes to do or refrain from doing something if the other party (the promisee) does or refrains from doing something, but the promisee does not undertake to do or refrain from doing that thing. An example of a unilateral contract is one in which the promisor offers a reward for the giving of information. Compare BILATERAL

CONTRACT.

unilateral discharge See ACCORD AND SATISFACTION.

unilateral mistake See MISTAKE.

unincorporated body An association that has no legal personality distinct from those of its members (compare CORPORATION). Examples of unincorporated bodies are *partnerships and *clubs.

See CLOSED-SHOP AGREEMENT.

unitary authority An all-purpose *local authority created under the Local Government Act 1992 and subsequent legislation to replace the two-tier system of local government by *county and *district councils. Unitary authorities were established in Wales (and Scotland) in April 1996 and in certain nonmetropolitan counties in England between 1996 and 1998; single-tier authorities also administer *Greater London and the former metropolitan county areas (since 1986) and the Isle

of Wight (since 1995). See also LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND.

United Nations (UN) An international organization, based in New York and Geneva, set up by the United Nations Charter in 1945 to replace the League of Nations. The main aims of the UN are: (1) to maintain international peace and security and to bring about settlement of international disputes by peaceful means;

(2) to develop friendly relations among nations; and (3) to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic or cultural nature and in promoting respect for human rights. The Charter sets out certain fundamental principles, which include the undertaking to refrain from using or threatening force against the territory or political independence of any state.

The Charter established six principal organs, of which the most important are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the *International Court of Justice. The General Assembly is the debating forum of

the UN, consisting of all the member states; it can pass resolutions, but these are not legally binding upon member states. The Security Council has five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the USA), and ten temporary members elected for two-year periods. Its resolutions are binding on member states, but each permanent member has the right to veto a resolution. It is empowered, under certain conditions, to make recommendations and take measures to maintain the peace, including the establishment of peacekeeping military forces in sensitive areas.

The United Nations has lost credibility as an international legal organization because it has often been divided upon issues on the basis of political (rather than legal) factors or has passed resolutions of a political nature. Nevertheless it remains important as the only world organization (almost all independent states are

members of the UN) and as a forum for discussion and development of international law.

In certain policy areas the United Nations operates through subsidiary organs; for example, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Uniting for Peace Resolution A resolution passed by the General Assembly (GA) of the *United Nations in 1950 in which the GA assumed the authority to determine what constituted a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace, or an act of aggression. In the event of any of these occurring, the GA resolved to invite member states to take collective action, including the use of armed force. It is highly doubtful that this attempt by the General Assembly to usurp the role of the Security Council has any legal authority to allow it to act in this way. It has been seen more as a declaration of the frustration of the nonaligned countries at the superpower stalemate that previously existed in the Security Council.

unit trust A *trust enabling small investors to buy interests in a diversity of companies and other investments. These investments are held by trustees (responsible for holding the investments and collecting and distributing income), who enter into a trust deed with the managers of the fund (who select, buy, and sell the investments). The managers sell units to investors, who thus acquire an interest in the fund proportionate to their investment. There is a service charge that provides the remuneration of the managers. Unit trusts are subject to regulation and supervision by the Department of Trade and Industry.

unity of personality Formerly, the common-law doctrine that husband and wife were one person in the eyes of the law. This doctrine has now been almost entirely abolished. However, the court still has jurisdiction to stay proceedings in tort brought by one spouse against another if there will be no substantial benefit from it; a husband and wife may not be convicted of criminal conspiracy together with each other (unless a third person is involved); and there are certain limitations on criminal proceedings in relation to theft of property belonging to one's spouse.

unity of seisin The ownership of two plots of land by the same person. Easements and other rights over a *servient tenement for the benefit of a *dominant tenement are extinguished if both tenements come into the same ownership.

unjust enrichment See QUASI-CONTRACT.

unlawful assembly See VIOLENT DISORDER.

unlawful possession of drugs See CONTROLLED DRUGS.

unlawful sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse that occurs in any of the *sexual offences involving intercourse, including intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 or a mentally defective woman. In this context "unlawful" implies extramarital intercourse.

unlawful trust See VOID TRUST.

unlawful wounding *Wounding or *wounding with intent that is not justified by, for example, self-defence or by statutory powers given to the police to arrest criminals.

unless order An order of the court instructing a party to comply with directions specified in the order and also stating the consequences of noncompliance with the

order within a specified time. Any sanction for noncompliance attaching to such an order must be proportionate to the request being ordered.

unlimited company A type of *registered company whose members have an unlimited liability. Thus on winding-up, the company can make demands upon its members until it has sufficient funds to meet the creditors' claims. The risk that members of unlimited companies assume is balanced by certain advantages: an unlimited company (unless it is a parent or subsidiary of a limited company) does not have to deliver its *accounts to the Companies Registry and it has more freedom to deal with its capital than a limited company. Unlimited companies may be formed with an *authorized capital, thus enabling them to issue shares and raise working capital, but members' liability is not limited to the nominal value of these shares.

unliquidated damages See DAMAGES.

unnatural offence *Buggery. Other "unnatural" forms of intercourse, however, are not included in the term.

unopposed proceedings Proceedings in which any person entitled to oppose fails to take any step (or any further step) in the proceedings, having been given an opportunity to do so. Unopposed proceedings often end in a judgment in *default but may not do so in proceedings in which the remedy claimed can only be obtained by some judicial determination, e.g. in *undefended causes in divorce proceedings.

unpaid seller A seller of goods who has not been paid in full for them or who has received a cheque or other *negotiable instrument that has not been honoured. Although ownership of the goods may have passed to the buyer, an unpaid seller has certain rights against the goods themselves. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, these rights are: (1) a possessory *lien (particular, not general); (2)a right of *stoppage in transitu; and (3) a *right of resale.

unpaid vendor'slien An equitable right arising in favour of a vendor of land against the purchaser (and those taking title through him as *volunteers) if the vendor has given *possession of the land to the purchaser before receiving the whole of the purchase price. This form of *Iien gives the vendor no right to possession of the land but entitles him to seek a court order for the sale of the property to ensure that he is paid the money owing by the purchaser.

unreasonable behaviour Behaviour of a respondent that may be evidence that a marriage has broken down irretrievably, entitling the petitioner to a *divOfce. Such conduct need not be unreasonable in itself - the real test is whether it is reasonable to expect the petitioner to continue living with the respondent, taking into account the behaviour of both parties and their particular personalities and characteristics. The behaviour may be "positive" (for example, persistent drunkenness, violence, or obsessive conduct) or "negative" (for example, neglect or indifference); a petition may succeed even if the respondent is not responsible for the behaviour, due (for example) to an illness.

unregistered company A *company that is incorporated otherwise than by registration under the Companies Acts. Unregistered companies, which include *statutory companies and *foreign companies, are subject to some provisions of the Companies Act 1985.

unregistered land Land to which the title in question is not registered at HM Land Registry. The majority of land has already become registered as the system of

land registration now demands the compulsory registration of all land on transfer.

Compare REGISTERED LAND. See also REGISTRATION OF ENCUMBRANCES.

unsecured creditor A person who has lent money without obtaining any

security. Compare SECURED CREDITOR.

unsolicited goods Goods sent to someone (other than a trader) who has not asked for them to be sent. It is not in itself an offence to send unsolicited goods (except for matter describing human sexual techniques or advertisements for such matter), but it is a criminal offence to demand payment for them. A person who receives unsolicited goods is an involuntary bailee of them (see BAILMENT) and may not destroy or damage them. If he disposes of them, he might be guilty of theft. Statute, however, permits him to treat them as his own property after six months (or 30 days if he has asked the sender to take them back).

unsworn evidence Evidence given by a child under the age of 14 in a criminal case in accordance with the provisions of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. The child must be sufficiently intelligent to justify the reception of his evidence and understand the duty of speaking the truth. Formerly, the child's evidence had to be supported by some *corroboration, but this requirement has now been abolished.

unsworn statement A statement made from the dock by an accused person while not on oath. The evidentiary effect of such a statement was much disputed, but the right to make one, which had been preserved when the accused was made a competent witness by the Criminal Evidence Act 1898,was abolished by the Criminal Justice Act 1982.

uplift n. The amount by which a solicitor is allowed to increase a claim for *costs above the basic charge for the work involved. See also CONDITIONAL FEE AGREEMENT.

urine specimen See SPECIMEN OF URINE.

usage n. A long-established and well-known practice in a particular market or trade. It may affect the interpretation of, and the nature of *implied terms in, a contract made in that market or trade.

use n. [possibly from Latin: opus, benefit] Formerly, a right, recognized only in Chancery, of a beneficiary (the cestui que use) against the legal owner of land. The medieval common law recognized only legal rights, which were often restricted in nature, but the Chancery protected those to whose use or benefit land was given, although they were not the legal owners. If A held property to the use of B,A was the legal owner (feoffee to uses) and B was the beneficiary (cestui que use). Uses gave flexibility and helped the evasion of feudal incidents (the medieval equivalent of tax liability). In 1535 the Statute of Uses executed the use, i.e, converted the rights of a cestui que use to legal rights, but the statute proved ineffective (see USE UPON A USE); it was repealed and uses were abolished in 1925.

use and occupation Possession and/or use of land by a person in unlawful occupation of it. A person claiming to recover possession of the land by proceedings in court can also claim a money sum to compensate him for the defendant's unlawful use and occupation.

use classes See DEVELOPMENT.

use of force The use of offensive military action, whether amounting to war or not, is prohibited under Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. The only

exceptions to this strict rule are as follows: (1) when the use of force is by way of an *enforcement action (Article 39 within *Chapter VII of the UN Charter); (2)when force is used for the purposes of *self-defence under Chapter VII (Article 51); and (3) controversially, when a state uses force for the purposes of self-defence under customary international law (arguably preserved by Article 51). Resort to force upon any other basis is illegal under international law.

user n. The use or enjoyment of property.

use upon a use Formerly, a right recognized by the Chancery after the Statute of Uses 1535 (see USE). In a situation in which A held property to the use of (i.e. for the benefit of) B, who held to the use of C, the Statute made B the legal owner but did not affect the second use to C (the use upon a use), who remained entitled to the benefit. The second use eventually developed into the *trust.

usual covenants The covenants that a good conveyancing practitioner would insert in a *lease. When an *agreement for a lease does not specify the terms of the lease, there is a term implied in the agreement that the lease will contain the usual covenants. The following are generally accepted as usual: by the landlord, a covenant for *quiet enjoyment; by the tenant, to pay rent, to pay tenants' rates and taxes, to keep the premises in repair, and to allow the landlord to enter to see the state of repair. There is also a condition for *re-entry for nonpayment of rent. Whether or not any other covenant is usual is a matter of evidence.

uti possidetis [Latin: as you possess] A principle usually applied in international law to the delineation of borders. When a colony gains independence, the colonial boundaries are accepted as the boundaries of the newly independent state. This practice, first adopted for the sake of expediency by the Spanish American colonies when they declared independence, has since been employed elsewhere in the world following the withdrawal of empire.

The principle of uti possidetis is also applied to the status of movable public property of belligerent states. Unless a peace treaty provides to the contrary, each party will retain such property as was in its possession on the day the hostilities ceased.

utter Bar See OUTER BAR.

v

vacantia bona See BONA VACANTIA.

vacant possession The exclusive use of land, to which a purchaser is entitled on completion of the transaction unless he has contracted to buy subject to another's right of occupation.

vacations pl. n. The periods between the end of any of the *sittings of the Supreme Court and the beginning of the next sitting, i.e. the *Long Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Easter Vacation, and Whitsun Vacation.

vaccine damage payment A tax-free lump-sum payment made, under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979, in compensation for severe disablement caused by a vaccine administered under the British government's vaccination programme.

vagrant n. A person classified under the Vagrancy Act 1824 as an "idle and disorderly person", a "rogue and vagabond", or an "incorrigible rogue". The first of these groups includes pedlars who trade without a licence, prostitutes who behave indecently in a public place, and those who beg in a public place. Rogues and vagabonds include those with a second conviction for being idle and disorderly, those who collect charity under false pretences, and tramps who do not make use of available places of shelter. Incorrigible rogues include those with a second conviction for being rogues and vagabonds. Vagrants are usually liable to imprisonment for between one month and one year, depending on which class they fall under, although beggars and tramps sleeping rough are liable only to fines. The Act also provides for various powers to search them or their property.

valuable consideration See CONSIDERATION. value n. Valuable *consideration.

value-added tax (VAT) A tax payable on a wide range of supplies of goods and services by way of business. As well as straightforward sales, taxable supplies include hirings, rentals, the granting of rights, and the distribution of promotional gifts. VAT is also payable on imports. The amount of tax payable is a percentage of the value of the supply (at present 17.5% except for domestic fuel, which is charged at 8%) and the liability for the tax arises at the time of the supply (see TAX POINT). Any person, firm, or organization that makes regular taxable supplies above a certain annual value (£54,000 since 1 April 2001)must register with the Customs and Excise, who administer the tax. A registered person (known as a taxable person) must collect from his customers the tax due on the supplies that he makes. This is known as his output tax. He pays the tax to the Customs and Excise on a periodic basis (usually quarterly), but in doing so he may reclaim any VAT that he has himself paid in the course of his business (his input tax). The entire tax is therefore borne by the ultimate consumer. VAT came into force on 1 April 1973, replacing purchase tax and selective employment tax. See also EXEMPT SUPPLY; ZERO-RATED SUPPLY.

valued policy An insurance policy that specifies the value of the property insured as agreed between the parties. A policy is not valued merely because it specifies an amount as the sum insured, for that is no more than an estimate of value by the person insured. The essence of a valued policy is that it is based on an agreed

valuation, which is conclusive; the insured will recover its full amount even if this exceeds the actual value of the property at the time of loss.

value received Words that may appear on a *bill of exchange indicating either that value has been received by the drawer from the payee or by the acceptor from the drawer. Such words are not necessary; every party whose signature appears on a bill is presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to have become a party for value.

vandalism n. Defacing or damaging property. There is no offence of vandalism as such, but it will usually constitute an offence of *criminal damage.

variance n. A discrepancy between a statement in the statements of case or between a statement in these documents and the evidence adduced in support of it at trial. In modern practice, it can be rectified by *amendment.

variation of trust A trustee is normally obliged to carry out a trust according to its precise terms; if he fails to do so, he is liable to be sued by his beneficiaries. There are, however, circumstances (both under the court's own jurisdiction and by statute) in which a trust may be varied, and a wide discretion is given to the court, under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958, to vary a trust, provided (usually) that the variation is for the benefit of those on whose behalf the court is acting.

VAT See VALUE-ADDED TAX.

VC See VICE CHANCELLOR.

VCT See VENTURE CAPITAL TRUST.

VDU See VISUAL DISPLAY UNIT.

vehicle n. See MOTOR VEHICLE.

vehicle construction and maintenance There are detailed rules governing the manufacture and subsequent maintenance of motor vehicles, failure to comply with which may constitute a criminal offence. The main rules deal with such matters as the brakes and steering system, mirrors, windscreen wipers and washers, petrol tanks, door hinges and latches, silencers, pollution prevention, indicators, speedometers, lights, and tyres. There are also regulations governing the use of a motor vehicle. Breach of the regulations relating to brakes, steering system, or tyres or breach of any of the regulations relating to construction. maintenance, or use in a manner that causes or is likely to cause danger is an offence punishable by *endorsement (and carrying 3 penalty points under the <totting-up system) and discretionary disqualification. Other breaches are subject to fines but not to endorsement. There are also special offences relating to the sale or attempted sale of vehicles whose use on the roads would be a breach of the regulations. to the fitting of parts to a vehicle in such a way that its subsequent use would be in breach of the regulations, and to selling or supplying parts whose fitting would cause the vehicle's subsequent use to be in breach of the regulations. These offences do not apply, however, if the defendant proves that the vehicle was sold for export or that he reasonably believed that it would not be used in Britain in an unlawful condition.

See also MOT TEST.

vehicle insurance See THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE; DRIVING WITHOUT INSURANCE.

vehicle interference See INTERFERING WITH VEHICLES.

vendor n. A seller, particularly one who sells land.

vendor and purchaser summons A procedure enabling parties to a contract

*picketing. However, it is lawful to watch or beset a place (other than a residence) for the sole purpose of peacefully obtaining or communicating information or peacefully persuading any person to work or not to work.

visiting forces Commonwealth forces stationed in the UK and any other forces from abroad designated by Order in Council, including their civilian components. The Visiting Forces Act 1952 empowers the service courts of such forces to exercise jurisdiction over their members according to their national law (but not to carry out the death penalty). It exempts their members from trial by UK criminal courts in the case of offences committed on duty, against other members, or against the property of the force or other members. The Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 confers certain exemptions from UK taxation on members of visiting forces.

visitor ri. 1. A person appointed to visit and inspect an institution and, in particular, to inquire into internal irregularities. Many universities have a visitor (frequently the Crown), and judges are visitors of the Inns of Court. Boards of Visitors, appointed for prisons by the Home Secretary, act as disciplinary tribunals for breaches of the Prison Rules. A Lord Chancellor's Visitor is appointed under the Mental Health Act 1983 to visit patients and inquire into their ability to manage their affairs. 2. A person who enters land or premises at the invitation or with the permission of the occupier. See OCCUPIER'S LIABILITY.

visual display unit (VDU) A computer screen. The EU's visual display screen directive on health and safety and the visual display units (computer screens) directive 90/270 protects employees by setting out requirements for such matters as risk assessments of computers used at work and by providing for free sight tests and footstools for staff and regular breaks from VDU work.

void adj. Having no legal effect.

voidable adj. Capable of being avoided (set aside).

voidable contract A contract that, though valid when made, is liable to be subsequently set aside (compare VOID CONTRACT). Voidable contracts may arise through *misrepresentation, some instances of *mistake, *nondisclosure, and duress (see ECONOMIC DURESS; UNDUE INFLUENCE). Certain proprietary contracts entered into by minors are also voidable (see CAPACITY TO CONTRACT). The setting aside of a voidable contract is effected by *rescission.

voidable marriage See NULLITY OF MARRIAGE.

voidable trust A trust that can be set aside, e.g. a trust created by an *infant. It may be repudiated by the infant on his attaining majority (18) or shortly thereafter; if the trust is not repudiated, it becomes valid and binding. A trust may also be set aside if it is made as a result of fraud, duress, or undue influence.

void contract A contract that has no legal force from the moment of its making (compare VOIDABLE CONTRACT). Void contracts occur when there is lack of *capacity to contract and by the operation in some instances of the doctrine of *mistake. An *illegal contract is void. In addition, certain contracts (e.g. *gaming and wagering contracts) are declared void but not illegal by statute, and certain contracts that are at common law contrary to *public policy are merely void but not illegal. Under UK and EU *competition law on restrictive trade practices, clauses infringing those laws are void but usually the rest of the contract continues. Contracts that are void or, in certain cases, illegal may be saved by *severance.

void marriage See NULLITY OF MARRIAGE.

void trust (unlawful trust) A trust that it is against the policy of the law to enforce. Such trusts include those that offend the *rule against perpetuities or the *rule against inalienability or that are contrary to public policy. If a trust is void, the property in the trust will normally be held on *resulting trust for the settlor or his estate.

voir dire (voire dire) [Norman French: to speak the truth] 1. The preliminary examination by a judge of a witness to determine his competence or of a juror to determine his qualification for jury service. 2. An inquiry conducted by the judge in the absence of the jury into the admissibility of an item of evidence (e.g. a *confession). It is sometimes called a trial within a trial. 3. Formerly, a special oath taken by witnesses called to testify on the voir dire.

volenti non fit injuria [Latin: no wrong is done to one who consents] The defence that the claimant consented to the injury or (more usually) to the risk of being injured. Knowledge of the risk of injury is not sufficient; there must also be (even if only by implication) full and free consent to bear the risk. A claimant who has assumed the risk of injury has no action if the injury occurs. The scope of the defence is limited by statute in cases involving business liability and public and private transport.

voluntaryadj. Without valuable *consideration.

voluntary accommodation Accommodation provided by a local authority for children whose parents are temporarily unable to look after them or for children who have been abandoned. (It is important to distinguish between a child who is being accommodated by a local authority and a child who is the subject of a *care order.) The purpose of a local authority in supplying accommodation is to support *children in need and their families; it is not a means for the local authority to gain control of the child against the parents' wishes. The local authority does not acquire *parental responsibility for a child who is accommodated; parents with parental responsibility must consent to their child being accommodated and may remove the child without notice and without the consent of the local authority (before 1989 it was necessary to give 28 days' notice before removing the child from voluntary care). If a child is the subject of a care order the local authority acquires parental responsibility for that child and may act against the parents' wishes.

voluntary arrangement 1. An agreement between a debtor and his creditors concerning the payment of his debts under the provisions of the Insolvency Act 1986. It takes the form of either a *scheme of arrangement or a *composition. It can be made either before bankruptcy proceedings are initiated or between an *undischarged bankrupt and his creditors. The court makes an order, called an interim order, to protect the debtor from bankruptcy and other court proceedings while an agreement is worked out. The debtor presents his proposals to a creditors' meeting to which all his creditors must be invited. If the meeting agrees with the debtor's proposals, the approved voluntary arrangement becomes binding on all the debtor's creditors, whether or not they attended the meeting. The approved voluntary arrangement does not have to be registered as a *deed of arrangement. The meeting's decision is reported to the court, which may discharge the interim order if no agreement has been reached. An *insolvency practitioner (the supervisor) is appointed to supervise the carrying out of an approved voluntary arrangement. He may petition for a *bankruptcy order if the debtor fails to comply with the terms of the arrangement. 2. A similar agreement between a company in financial difficulties and its creditors. Under the Insolvency Act 1986 it must be