The Official Receiver's Office ensures that the insolvency services in personal and corporate insolvencies is of a high quality on par with international standards, and that the legislation is commensurate with the objective of keeping Hong Kong at the forefront as a major international financial centre.

When acting as the trustee or liquidator, the Official Receiver or a private sector insolvency practitioner investigates the affairs of the bankrupt or the wound-up company, realises assets and distributes dividends to creditors. The Official Receiver also prosecutes certain offences set out in the Bankruptcy Ordinance and the Companies Ordinances, applies for disqualification orders against unfit company directors of wound-up companies, monitors the conduct of outside liquidators and trustees, and monitors the funds held by liquidators in both compulsory and voluntary liquidations.

During the year, the court made 10 324 bankruptcy orders, 1 239 interim orders in individual voluntary arrangements and 552 winding-up orders, compared with last year's respective figures of 9 810, 934 and 849. The assets realised by the Official Receiver during 2006 amounted to $117.9 million, while $219.3 million in dividends was paid to creditors in 3 019 insolvency cases.