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Companies Bill [HL]

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 778 to 784. This group also includes Amendments Nos. 894, 996 and 997. The majority of these amendments form part of the overall restatement exercise. A number of them restate various provisions of the 1985 Act which in some way relate to offences or sanctions—for example, the provisions on fraudulent trading and unfair prejudice. No changes of substance have been made. Amendments Nos. 996 and 997 remove a large number of paragraphs from Schedule 4. The paragraphs in question purport to make changes to offences provisions in the 1985 Act. However, as a result of the restatement exercise, the relevant provisions have now all been included within the Bill, with the necessary changes incorporated. The paragraphs are therefore now redundant. Finally, Amendment No. 784 adds a new clause to the unfair prejudice provisions. If the court makes an order amending the company's articles, the new clause ensures that updated articles are registered and that a copy of the court order is supplied with any copies of the articles issued by the company, unless they already incorporate the amendments. This additional provision has been included to ensure consistency with Clauses 31 and 36 as they now stand and with the way in which they deal with resolutions and agreements which affect a company's articles. Moved, That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 778 to 784.—(Lord McKenzie of Luton.)