§ 20 Clause 27, page 34, line 15, leave out ("subsection") and insert ("subsections").
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21 Clause 27, page 34, line 27, at end insert—
("(1A) Subject to subsection (2) below, if the corporate name of any oversea company is in the opinion of the Secretary of State too like a name appearing on the relevant date in the index of names kept by the registrar in pursuance of section 23 of the Companies Act 1981 or which should have appeared in that index on that date or is the same as a name which should have so appeared, the Secretary of State may serve a notice on the company specifying the name in the index which the company's name is too like or which is the same as the company's name.
(2A) In subsections (2), (3) and (5) for the words "subsection (1)" in each place where they occur there shall be substituted the words "subsection (1) or (1A)".").
§ 22 page 35, line 4, after ("(1)") insert ("or (1A)").
§ Lord TrefgarneMy Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 21, 21 and 22 en bloc. Overseas companies which establish a place of business in Great Britain are required to register under Part X of the 1948 Act. Section 31 of the 1976 Act enables the Secretary of State to issue a notice to the company to require it to carry on business in Great Britain under a name other than its corporate name. This keeps the position of overseas companies on all fours with the position presently prevailing for 1948 Act companies. These amendments ensure that the position of overseas companies remains the same as that of domestic companies under the provisions of this Bill, and enable the Secretary of State to direct that an oversea company carry on business under a name other than its corporate name if he considers that its corporate name is the same as or too like one which appeared or should have appeared in the index maintained by the registrar at the time the company registered under Part X of the 1948 Act. It thus brings oversea companies into line with amendments governing the names of British companies. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said amendments.—(Lord Trefgarne.)
§ Lord Lloyd of KilgerranMy Lords, in this area of international trade, I welcome this series of amendments as an improvement in relation to the status of overseas companies in bringing them into line with domestic companies.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ 5.30 p.m.