House of Commons - Amendments

Company Law Reform Bill [Lords] *- continued*	House of Commons

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Statement to be circulated or made available

Mr Secretary Darling

NC68

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) Where a meeting is summoned under section (Court order for holding of meeting)—

(a) every notice summoning the meeting that is sent to a creditor or member must be accompanied by a statement complying with this section, and

(b) every notice summoning the meeting that is given by advertisement must either—

(i) include such a statement, or

(ii) state where and how creditors or members entitled to attend the meeting may obtain copies of such a statement

(2) The statement must—

(a) explain the effect of the compromise or arrangement, and

(b) in particular, state—

(i) any material interests of the directors of the company (whether as directors or as members or as creditors of the company or otherwise), and

(ii) the effect on those interests of the compromise or arrangement, in so far as it is different from the effect on the like interests of other persons.

(3) Where the compromise or arrangement affects the rights of debenture holders of the company, the statement must give the like explanation as respects the trustees of any deed for securing the issue of the debentures as it is required to give as respects the company’s directors.

(4) Where a notice given by advertisement states that copies of an explanatory statement can be obtained by creditors or members entitled to attend the meeting, every such creditor or member is entitled, on making application in the manner indicated by the notice, to be provided by the company with a copy of the statement free of charge.

(5) If a company makes default in complying with any requirement of this section, an offence is committed by—

(a) the company, and

(b) every officer of the company who is in default.

This is subject to subsection (7) below.

(6) For this purpose the following are treated as officers of the company—

(a) a liquidator or administrator of the company, and

(b) a trustee of a deed for securing the issue of debentures of the company.

(7) A person is not guilty of an offence under this section if he shows that the default was due to the refusal of a director or trustee for debenture holders to supply the necessary particulars of his interests.

(8) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine;

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.’.

Duty of directors and trustees to provide information

Mr Secretary Darling

NC69

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) It is the duty of—

(a) any director of the company, and

(b) any trustee for its debenture holders,

to give notice to the company of such matters relating to himself as may be necessary for the purposes of section (Statement to be circulated or made available) (explanatory statement to be circulated or made available).

(2) Any person who makes default in complying with this section commits an offence.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.’.

Court sanction for compromise or arrangement

Mr Secretary Darling

NC70

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) If a majority in number representing 75% in value of the creditors or class of creditors or members or class of members (as the case may be), present and voting either in person or by proxy at the meeting summoned under section (Court order for holding of meeting), agree a compromise or arrangement, the court may, on an application under this section, sanction the compromise or arrangement.

(2) An application under this section may be made by—

(a) the company,

(b) any creditor or member of the company, or

(c) if the company is being wound up or an administration order is in force in relation it, the liquidator or administrator.

(3) A compromise or agreement sanctioned by the court is binding on—

(a) all creditors or the class of creditors or on the members or class of members (as the case may be), and

(b) the company or, in the case of a company in the course of being wound up, the liquidator and contributories of the company.

(4) The court’s order has no effect until a copy of it has been delivered to the registrar.’.

Powers of court to facilitate reconstruction or amalgamation

Mr Secretary Darling

NC71

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) This section applies where application is made to the court under section (Court sanction for compromise or arrangement) to sanction a compromise or arrangement and it is shown that—

(a) the compromise or arrangement is proposed for the purposes of, or in connection with, a scheme for the reconstruction of any company or companies, or the amalgamation of any two or more companies, and

(b) under the scheme the whole or any part of the undertaking or the property of any company concerned in the scheme (“a transferor company”) is to be transferred to another company (“the transferee company”).

(2) The court may, either by the order sanctioning the compromise or arrangement or by a subsequent order, make provision for all or any of the following matters—

(a) the transfer to the transferee company of the whole or any part of the undertaking and of the property or liabilities of any transferor company;

(b) the allotting or appropriation by the transferee company of any shares, debentures, policies or other like interests in that company which under the compromise or arrangement are to be allotted or appropriated by that company to or for any person;

(c) the continuation by or against the transferee company of any legal proceedings pending by or against any transferor company;

(d) the dissolution, without winding up, of any transferor company;

(e) the provision to be made for any persons who, within such time and in such manner as the court directs, dissent from the compromise or arrangement;

(f) such incidental, consequential and supplemental matters as are necessary to secure that the reconstruction or amalgamation is fully and effectively carried out.

(3) If an order under this section provides for the transfer of property or liabilities—

(a) the property is by virtue of the order transferred to, and vests in, the transferee company, and

(b) the liabilities are, by virtue of the order, transferred to and become liabilities of that company.

(4) The property (if the order so directs) vests freed from any charge that is by virtue of the compromise or arrangement to cease to have effect.

(5) In this section—

“property” includes property, rights and powers of every description; and

“liabilities” includes duties.

(6) Every company in relation to which an order is made under this section must cause a copy of the order to be delivered to the registrar within seven days after its making.

(7) If default is made in complying with subsection (6) an offence is committed by—

(a) the company, and

(b) every officer of the company who is in default.

(8) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (7) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale and, for continued contravention, a daily default fine not exceeding one-tenth of level 3 on the standard scale.’.

Documents to be incorporated in or accompany copies of articles issued by company

Mr Secretary Darling

NC77

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) Every copy of a company’s articles issued by the company must be accompanied by—

(a) a copy of any resolution or agreement relating to the company to which Chapter 3 applies (resolutions and agreements affecting a company’s constitution),

(b) where the company has been required to give notice to the registrar under section 35(2) (notice where company’s constitution altered by enactment), a statement that the enactment in question alters the effect of the company’s constitution,

(d) a copy of any order required to be sent to the registrar under section 36(2)(a) (order of court or other authority altering company’s constitution).

(2) This does not require the articles to be accompanied by a copy of a document or by a statement if—

(a) the effect of the resolution, agreement, enactment or order (as the case may be) on the company’s constitution has been incorporated into the articles by amendment, or

(b) the resolution, agreement, enactment or order (as the case may be) is not for the time being in force.

(3) If the company fails to comply with this section, an offence is committed by every officer of the company who is in default.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale for each occasion on which copies are issued, or, as the case may be, requested.

(5) For the purposes of this section, a liquidator of the company is treated as an officer of it.’.

Resolutions to be forwarded to registrar

Mr Secretary Darling

NC78

To move the following Clause:—

‘Chapter 3 of Part 3 (resolutions affecting a company’s constitution) applies to a resolution passed by virtue of regulations under Chapter 2 of Part 22.’.

Obligations of company with respect to articles etc

Mr Secretary Darling

NC79

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) This section applies—

(a) to any order under section (Court sanction for compromise or arrangement) (order sanctioning compromise or arrangement), and

(b) to any order under section (Powers of court to facilitate reconstruction or amalgamation) (order facilitating reconstruction or amalgamation) that alters the company’s constitution.

(2) If the order amends—

(a) the company’s articles, or

(b) any resolution or agreement to which Chapter 3 of Part 3 applies (resolution or agreement affecting a company’s constitution),

the copy of the order delivered to the registrar by the company under section (Court sanction for compromise or arrangement)(4) or section (Powers of court to facilitate reconstruction or amalgamation)(6) must be accompanied by a copy of the company’s articles, or the resolution or agreement in question, as amended.

(3) Every copy of the company’s articles issued by the company after the order is made must be accompanied by a copy of the order, unless the effect of the order has been incorporated into the articles by amendment.

(4) In this section—

(a) references to the effect of the order include the effect of the compromise or arrangement to which the order relates; and

(b) in the case of a company not having articles, references to its articles shall be read as references to the instrument constituting the company or defining its constitution.

(5) If a company makes default in complying with this section an offence is committed by—

(a) the company, and

(b) every officer of the company who is in default.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.’.

Supplementary provisions where company’s constitution altered

Mr Secretary Darling

NC80

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) This section applies where an order under Part 30 alters a company’s constitution.

(2) If the order amends—

(a) a company’s articles, or

(b) any resolution or agreement to which Chapter 3 of Part 3 applies (resolution or agreement affecting a company’s constitution),

the copy of the order delivered to the registrar by the company under section 965 must be accompanied by a copy of the company’s articles, or the resolution or agreement in question, as amended.

(3) Every copy of a company’s articles issued by the company after the order is made must be accompanied by a copy of the order, unless the effect of the order has been incorporated into the articles by amendment.

(4) If a company makes default in complying with this section an offence is committed by—

(a) the company, and

(b) every officer of the company who is in default.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.’.

Power to accept documents not meeting requirements for proper delivery

Mr Secretary Darling

NC84

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) The registrar may accept (and register) a document that does not comply with the requirements for proper delivery.

(2) A document accepted by the registrar under this section is treated as received by the registrar for the purposes of section 1043 (public notice of receipt of certain documents).

(3) No objection may be taken to the legal consequences of a document’s being accepted (or registered) by the registrar under this section on the ground that the requirements for proper delivery were not met.

(4) The acceptance of a document by the registrar under this section does not affect—

(a) the continuing obligation to comply with the requirements for proper delivery, or

(b) subject as follows, any liability for failure to comply with those requirements.

(5) For the purposes of—

(a) section 461 (civil penalty for failure to file accounts and reports), and

(b) any enactment imposing a daily default fine for failure to deliver the document,

the period after the document is accepted does not count as a period during which there is default in complying with the requirements for proper delivery.

(6) But if, subsequently—

(a) the registrar issues a notice under section 1060(4) in respect of the document (notice of administrative removal from the register), and

(b) the requirements for proper delivery are not complied with before the end of the period of 14 days after the issue of that notice,

any subsequent period of default does count for the purposes of those provisions.’.

Documents containing unnecessary material

Mr Secretary Darling

NC85

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) This section applies where a document delivered to the registrar contains unnecessary material.

(2) “Unnecessary material” means material that—

(a) is not necessary in order to comply with an obligation under any enactment, and

(b) is not specifically authorised to be delivered to the registrar.

(3) For this purpose an obligation to deliver a document of a particular description, or conforming to certain requirements, is regarded as not extending to anything that is not needed for a document of that description or, as the case may be, conforming to those requirements.

(4) If the unnecessary material cannot readily be separated from the rest of the document, the document is treated as not meeting the requirements for proper delivery.

(5) If the unnecessary material can readily be separated from the rest of the document, the registrar may register the document either—

(a) with the omission of the unnecessary material, or

(b) as delivered.’.

Treatment of reserve arising from reduction of capital

Mr Secretary Darling

NC87

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) A reserve arising from the reduction of a company’s share capital is not distributable, subject to any provision made by order under this section.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order specify cases in which—

(a) the prohibition in subsection (1) does not apply, and

(b) the reserve is to be treated for the purposes of Part 24 (distributions) as a realised profit.

(3) An order under this section is subject to affirmative resolution procedure.’.

Company charges

Mr Secretary Darling

NC88A

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the registration of specified charges over property in the United Kingdom of a registered overseas company.

(2) The power in subsection (1) includes power to make provision about—

(a) a registered overseas company that—

(i) has particulars registered in more than one part of the United Kingdom,

(ii) has property in more than one part of the United Kingdom,

(b) the circumstances in which property is to be regarded, for the purposes of the regulations, as being, or not being, in the United Kingdom or in a particular part of the United Kingdom,

(d) the consequences of a failure to register a charge in accordance with the regulations,

(e) the circumstances in which a registered overseas company ceases to be subject to the regulations.

(3) The regulations may for this purpose apply, with or without modifications, any of the provisions of Part 26.

(4) The regulations may modify any reference in an enactment to Part 26, or to a particular provision of that Part, so as to include a reference to the regulations or to a specified provision of the regulations.

(5) Regulations under this section are subject to negative resolution procedure.

(6) In this section—

“registered overseas company” means an overseas company that has registered particulars under section 1012(1), and

“specified” means specified in the regulations.’.

The authorised minimum

Mr Secretary Darling

NC92

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) “The authorised minimum”, in relation to the nominal value of a public company’s allotted share capital is—

(a) £50,000, or

(b) the prescribed euro equivalent.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order prescribe the amount in euros that is for the time being to be treated as equivalent to the sterling amount of the authorised minimum.

(3) This power may be exercised from time to time as appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate.

(4) The amount prescribed shall be determined by applying an appropriate spot rate of exchange to the sterling amount and rounding to the nearest 100 euros.

(5) An order under this section is subject to negative resolution procedure.

(6) This section has effect subject to any exercise of the power conferred by section (Power to alter authorised minimum) (power to alter authorised minimum).’.

Power to alter authorised minimum

Mr Secretary Darling

NC93

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1) The Secretary of State may by order—

(a) alter the sterling amount of the authorised minimum, and

(b) make a corresponding alteration of the prescribed euro equivalent.

(2) The amount of the prescribed euro equivalent shall be determined by applying an appropriate spot rate of exchange to the sterling amount and rounding to the nearest 100 euros.

(3) An order under this section that increases the authorised minimum may—

(a) require a public company having an allotted share capital of which the nominal value is less than the amount specified in the order to—

(i) increase that value to not less than that amount, or

(ii) re-register as a private company;

(b) make provision in connection with any such requirement for any of the matters for which provision is made by this Act relating to—

(i) a company’s registration, re-registration or change of name,

(ii) payment for shares comprised in a company’s share capital, and

(iii) offers to the public of shares in or debentures of a company,

including provision as to the consequences (in criminal law or otherwise) of a failure to comply with any requirement of the order;

(4) An order under this section is subject to affirmative resolution procedure.’.

Prepared: 19 October 2006