18(1)The plan must provide that an individual is not eligible to participate in an award of free, matching or partnership shares under the plan in a tax year if the individual—U.K.
(a)has in that year already participated, or
(b)is at the same time to participate,
in an award of shares under another approved SIP established by the company or a connected company.
(2)For the purposes of this paragraph an individual is to be treated as having participated in an award of free shares under a SIP if the individual would have participated in that award but for the individual’s failure to obtain a performance allowance (see paragraph 34).
(3)In this paragraph “connected company” means—
(a)a company which controls or is controlled by the company or which is controlled by a company which also controls the company, or
(b)a company which is a member of a consortium owning the company or which is owned in part by the company as a member of a consortium.