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According to the National Audit Office (http://www.nao.gov.uk) which scrutinizes public spending on behalf of Parliament, £33 million in court payouts have gone undistributed. These funds, originally paid to the court to cover legal costs, must be held in perpetuity until claimed. Some date from as far back as the 18th century.

NAO investigation revealed many entries contained in the 10,000 page Court Funds Office unclaimed balances ledger were "meaningless." At least £10 million of the £33 million held in over 73,000 accounts could not be allocated to a specific owner.

To obtain contact information for specific courts contact: Court Service, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT; Tel. 44 + (0)20-7210-2266. On the Internet go to: www.courtservice.gov.uk If you're searching for insolvency-related accounts, visit the Insolvency Service home page at: www.insolvency.gov.uk