§ ' . — (1) Part 1 of Schedule (Transfers of business: supplementary provisions) to this Act shall have effect for imposing on a building society proposing to transfer its business to a company an obligation to issue statements to its members relating to the proposed transfer.
§ (2) Where application is made to the Commission for confirmation of a transfer of business to a company it shall, except as provided in subsections (3) to (5) below, confirm the transfer; and Part II of that Schedule shall have effect with respect to the procedure on an application for such confirmation.
§ (3) Subject to subsection (4) below, the Commission shall not confirm a transfer of business if it considers that—
- (a) some information material to the members' decision about the transfer was not made available to all the members elegible to vote; or
- (b) the vote on any resolution approving the transfer does not represent the views of the members eligible to vote; or
- (c) there is a substantial risk that the successor will not become or, as the case may be, remain a recognised bank or licensed institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1979; or
- (d) some relevant requirement of this Act or the rules of the society was not fulfilled.
§ (4) The Commission shall not be precluded from confirming a transfer of business by virtue only of the non-fulfilment of some relevant requirement of this Act or the rules of the society if it appears to the Commission that it could not have been material to the members' decision about the transfer and the Commission gives a direction that the failure is to be disregarded for the purposes of this section.
§ (5) Where the Commission would be precluded from confirming a transfer of business by reason of any of the defects specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of subsection (3) above, it may direct the society making the transfer—
- (a) to take such steps to remedy the defect or defects as it specifies in the direction; and
- (b) to furnish the Commission with evidence satisfying it that it has done so;
§ and, if the Commission is satisfied that the steps have been taken and the defect or defects has or have been substantially remedied, the Commission shall confirm the transfer; but, if it is not so satisfied, it shall refuse its confirmation.
§ (6) The steps that a society may be required under subsection (5)(a) above to take include the calling of a further meeting, securing the variation of the transfer agreement or securing the alteration of the approved protective provisions of the articles of association of its successor.
§ (7) A failure to comply with a relevant requirement of this Act or the rules of a building society shall not invalidate a transfer of the business of the society; but, if a society fails without reasonable excuse to comply with such a requirement, the society shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale and so shall any officer who is also guilty of the offence.
§ (8) In this section "relevant requirement", with reference to this Act or the rules of a society, means a requirement of the applicable provisions of this Act or of any rules prescribing the procedure to be followed by the society in approving the transfer and its terms.'.—[Mr. Ian Stewart.]
§ Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.