§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Young of Graffham, I beg to introduce a Bill to amend the law relating to company accounts; to make new provision with respect to the persons eligible for appointment as company auditors; to amend the Companies Act 1985 and certain other enactments with respect to investigations and powers to obtain information and to confer new powers exercisable to assist overseas regulatory authorities; to make new provision with respect to the registration of company charges and otherwise to amend the law relating to companies; to amend the Fair Trading Act 1973; to enable provision to be made for the payment of fees in connection with the exercise by the Secretary of State, the Director General of Fair Trading and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of their functions under Part V of that Act; to make provision for safeguarding the operation of certain financial markets; to amend the Financial Services Act 1986, the Insolvency Act 1986, the Policy Holders Protection Act 1975 and the law relating to building societies; and for connected 1364 purposes. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a first time.—(Lord Strathclyde.)
§ On Question, Bill read a first time, and to be printed.