HC Deb 22 June 1917 vol 94 cc2132-4

In addition to the particulars with respect to the persons who are the directors, or occupy the position of directors, which by Section twenty-six of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, are required to be included in the annual summary, there shall be included such particulars with respect to those persons as would, if they were partners in a firm, be required to be registered with respect to them under the Registration of Business Names Act, 1916, and the register required to be kept by a company under Section seventy-five of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, shall include such particulars as aforesaid, and the obligation of the company under that Section from time to time to notify to the registrar any change among its directors shall include an obligation so to notify any change in any such particulars.

The SOLICITOR - GENERAL (Sir Gordon Hewart)

I beg to move, after the word "summary" ["annual summary"], to insert the words "or in the case of a company incorporated outside the United Kingdom which has established a place of business within the United Kingdom are, by Section two hundred and seventy-four of that Act, required to be included amongst the particulars to be filed with the Registrar of Companies."

The object of this Amendment is to extend the obligation to disclose particulars as to directors to companies incorporated outside the United Kingdom. If the Bill is not made to apply to companies incorporated outside the United Kingdom, there is obviously some risk that companies might be registered in Guernsey, or elsewhere, by persons seeking to evade the disclosure required by the Registration of Business Names Act, and by this Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: Leave out the words "if they were partners in a firm."

Leave out the word "registered" t" required to be registered "], and insert instead thereof the word "furnished."— [Sir G. Hewart.]

Sir G. HEWART

I beg to move, after "1916," to insert the words "if they were partners in a firm required to be registered under that Act."

Mr. WATT

Might we have some explanation of this particular Amendment?

Sir G. HEWART

This, with one or two others, is merely a drafting Amendment. The effect is simply to make it clear that the reference to partners in a firm is confined to partners in a firm required to be registered under the Registration of Business Names Act. As hon. Members are aware, no registration under that Act is required of a firm which, without any addition, includes the names of all the partners.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: After the word "Section" ["Section from time to time"] insert the words "or in the case of a company incorporated outside the United Kingdom under Section two hundred and seventy-four of the said Act."— [Sir G. Hewart]

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.