Companies Act 2006

Sensitive words and expressions U.K.

54 Names suggesting connection with government or public authority U.K.

(1) The approval of the Secretary of State is required for a company to be registered under this Act by a name that would be likely to give the impression that the company is connected with—

(a) Her Majesty's Government, any part of the Scottish administration [F1 , the Welsh Assembly Government] or Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland,

(b) a local authority, or

(c) any public authority specified for the purposes of this section by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(2) For the purposes of this section—

• “local authority” means—

  (a)

  a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly,

  (b)

  a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39), or

  (c)

  a district council in Northern Ireland;

• “public authority” includes any person or body having functions of a public nature.

(3) Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 54(1)(a) inserted (6.11.2009) by The Government of Wales Act 2006 (Consequential Modifications, Transitional Provisions and Saving) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2958), art. 9

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 54 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/638, reg. 10(1A)-(1C) (as substituted (1.10.2009) by The European Economic Interest Grouping (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2399), reg. 13 (with reg. 2))

C2 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))

Commencement Information

I1 S. 54 wholly in force at 1.10.2009; s. 54 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 1300; s. 54 in force for specified purposes at 20.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3428, art. 3(3) (subject to art. 5, Sch. 1 and with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5); s. 32 otherwise in force at 1.10.2009 by S.I. 2008/2860, art. 3(e) (with arts. 5, 7, 8, Sch. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2009/1802, art. 18)

55 Other sensitive words or expressions U.K.

(1) The approval of the Secretary of State is required for a company to be registered under this Act by a name that includes a word or expression for the time being specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State under this section.

(2) Regulations under this section are subject to approval after being made.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))

C3 S. 55 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/638, reg. 10(1A)-(1C) (as substituted (1.10.2009) by The European Economic Interest Grouping (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2399), reg. 13 (with reg. 2))

Commencement Information

I2 S. 55 wholly in force at 1.10.2009; s. 55 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 1300; s. 55 in force for specified purposes at 20.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3428, art. 3(3) (subject to art. 5, Sch. 1 and with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5); s. 55 otherwise in force at 1.10.2009 by S.I. 2008/2860, art. 3(e) (with arts. 5, 7, 8, Sch. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2009/1802, art. 18)

56 Duty to seek comments of government department or other specified body U.K.

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations under—

(a) section 54 (name suggesting connection with government or public authority), or

(b) section 55 (other sensitive words or expressions),

require that, in connection with an application for the approval of the Secretary of State under that section, the applicant must seek the view of a specified Government department or other body.

(2) Where such a requirement applies, the applicant must request the specified department or other body (in writing) to indicate whether (and if so why) it has any objections to the proposed name.

(3) Where a request under this section is made in connection with an application for the registration of a company under this Act, the application must—

(a) include a statement that a request under this section has been made, and

(b) be accompanied by a copy of any response received.

(4) Where a request under this section is made in connection with a change in a company's name, the notice of the change sent to the registrar must be accompanied by—

(a) a statement by a director or secretary of the company that a request under this section has been made, and

(b) a copy of any response received.

(5) In this section “specified” means specified in the regulations.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))

C4 S. 56 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/638, reg. 10(1A)-(1C) (as substituted (1.10.2009) by The European Economic Interest Grouping (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2399), reg. 13 (with reg. 2))

Commencement Information

I3 S. 56 wholly in force at 1.10.2009; s. 56 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 1300; s. 56 in force for specified purposes at 20.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3428, art. 3(3) (subject to art. 5, Sch. 1 and with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5); s. 56 otherwise in force at 1.10.2009 by S.I. 2008/2860, art. 3(e) (with arts. 5, 7, 8, Sch. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2009/1802, art. 18)

[F2 56A Names suggesting connection with foreign governments etc U.K.

A company must not be registered under this Act by a name that, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, would be likely to give the false impression that the company is connected with—

(a) a foreign government or an agency or authority of a foreign government, or

(b) an international organisation whose members include two or more countries or territories (or their governments).]

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 56A inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 9(2), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(e)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))