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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 315H:"Page 225, line 1, leave out paragraph (c) and insert—" ““(   )   the deemed re-appointment is prevented by the members under section (Prevention by members of deemed re-appointment of auditor), or”” The noble Lord said: Clause 474 provides one of the methods by which the members of a company can prevent the deemed reappointment of an auditor, namely by giving notice to the company. It can do this in hard copy or electronically, and the notice is effective once given by shareholders with 5 per cent of the voting rights in the company. The process is essentially the same as for members’ resolutions under Clause 269. The sole purpose of Amendment No. 315J, which replaces Clause 474 in its entirety, is to bring the drafting of Clause 474 into line with the more streamlined drafting of Clause 269. I am sure that noble Lords will understand that there are risks that those reading legislation will assume that if two provisions are drafted in different ways there must be some substantive difference. Therefore, bringing the drafting of these two provisions into line could help to avoid people being confused and misled. Amendment No. 315H is purely consequential. I beg to move. On Question, amendment agreed to.