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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

his part of the Bill has wide application. It replaces some provisions from the Companies Act 1985 that apply to all traders as well as replacing the Business Names Act 1985. At present, there is some overlap between these two Acts; more seriously, there are gaps. The Bill brings together all the provisions relating to traders’ names so that there are neither gaps nor overlap in their coverage. Gathering together provisions of this nature in companies legislation is merely a return to situation before the 1985 Act: the Business Names Act 1985 re-enacted provisions formerly in Part 2 of the Companies Act 1981. In any event, the provisions have always had a close connection with companies legislation. For the purposes of summary proceedings and legal professional privilege, the Business Names Act provides that it is to be treated as included in the Companies Act. In addition, regulations under Clause 794 will replace Sections 33, 34 and 34A of the Companies Act 1985. Those provisions already apply to all traders, not just to companies. In the light of this explanation, I hope noble Lords will agree that Clauses 789 to 805 stand part of the Bill. Clause 789 agreed to. Clauses 790 to 794 agreed to. Clause 795 [Name giving misleading indication of activities]: