Companies Act 1985

Commissions and discounts E+W+S

97 Power of company to pay commissions. E+W+S

(1) It is lawful for a company to pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe (whether absolutely or conditionally) for any shares in the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions (whether absolute or conditional) for any shares in the company, if the following conditions are satisfied.

(2) The payment of the commission must be authorised by the company’s articles; and—

(a) the commission paid or agreed to be paid must not exceed 10 per cent. of the price at which the shares are issued or the amount or rate authorised by the articles, whichever is the less;

[F1 and

(b) the amount or rate per cent. of commission paid or agreed to be paid, and the number of shares which persons have agreed for a commission to subscribe absolutely, must be disclosed in the manner required by the following subsection.

(3) Those matters must, in the case of shares offered to the public for subscription, be disclosed in the prospectus; and in the case of shares not so offered—

(a) they must be disclosed in a statement in the prescribed form signed by every director of the company or by his agent authorised in writing, and delivered (before payment of the commission) to the registrar of companies for registration; and

(b) where a circular or notice (not being a prospectus) inviting subscription for the shares is issued, they must also be disclosed in that circular or notice.

(4) If default is made in complying with subsection (3)(a) as regards delivery to the registrar of the statement in prescribed form, the company and every officer of it who is in default is liable to a fine].

Textual Amendments

F1 Word “and" and s. 97(2)(b),(3)(4) repealed (29.4.1988 except as mentioned in S.I. 1988/740, art. 2, Sch.) by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60, SIF 69), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 97(3) modified by S.I. 1991/823, reg. 2(1), Sch. 1

C2 S. 97(3) applied (19.6.1995) by S.I. 1995/1537, reg. 20, Sch. 4 Pt. III para. 12

98 Apart from s. 97, commissions and discounts barred. E+W+S

(1) Except as permitted by section 97, no company shall apply any of its shares or capital money, either directly or indirectly in payment of any commission, discount or allowance to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe (whether absolutely or conditionally) for any shares in the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions (whether absolute or conditional) for any shares in the company.

(2) This applies whether the shares or money be so applied by being added to the purchase money of any property acquired by the company or to the contract price of any work to be executed for the company, or the money be paid out of the nominal purchase money or contract price, or otherwise.

(3) Nothing in section 97 or this section affects the power of a company to pay such brokerage as has previously been lawful.

(4) A vendor to, or promoter of, or other person who receives payment in money or shares from, a company has, and is deemed always to have had, power to apply any part of the money or shares so received in payment of any commission, the payment of which, if made directly by the company, would have been lawful under section 97 and this section.