Companies Act 1985

F1 723C Effect of confidentiality orders E+W+S

(1) At any time when a confidentiality order is in force in relation to an individual—

(a) F2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) section 364 shall have effect in relation to each affected company of which the individual is a director or secretary as if the reference in subsection (4)(a) of that section to the individual’s usual residential address were a reference to the address for the time being specified by the individual in relation to that company under section 723B(5) or subsection (7) below.

(2) Regulations may make provision about the inspection and copying of confidential records, and such provision may include—

(a) provision as to the persons by whom, and the circumstances in which, confidential records may be inspected or copies taken of such records;

(b) provision under which the registrar may be required to provide certified copies of, or of extracts from, such records.

(3) Provision under subsection (2) may include provision—

(a) for persons of a prescribed description to be entitled to apply to the court for authority to inspect or take copies of confidential records;

(b) as to the criteria to be used by the court in determining whether an authorisation should be given.

(4) Regulations may make provision for restricting the persons to whom, and the purposes for which, relevant information may be disclosed.

(5) In subsection (4) “relevant information” means information, relating to the usual residential address of an individual in relation to whom a confidentiality order is in force, which has been obtained in prescribed circumstances.

(6) Regulations may—

(a) provide that, where a confidentiality order is in force in relation to an individual who is a director or secretary of a company, subsections (3) and (5) of section 288 shall not apply in relation to so much of the register kept by the company under that section as contains particulars of the usual residential address of that individual (“the protected part of the register”); and

(b) make provision as to the persons by whom the protected part of the register may be inspected and the conditions (which may include conditions as to the payment of a fee) on which they may inspect it.

(7) Regulations may make provision—

(a) requiring any individual in relation to whom a confidentiality order is in force to specify in the prescribed manner, in relation to each company of which he becomes a director, secretary or permanent representative at a time when the order is in force, an address satisfying such conditions as may be prescribed;

(b) as to the manner in which the address specified in relation to a company under section 723B(5) or this subsection may be changed.

(8) A company is an affected company for the purposes of subsection (1) if—

(a) it is required to deliver annual returns in accordance with section 363; and

(b) the individual has specified an address in relation to it under section 723B(5) or subsection (7) above.

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 723B-723F inserted (19.6.2001 for certain purposes and otherwise 2.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 45(2), 138(2); S.I. 2001/2223, art. 2(2)(c); S.I. 2002/533, art. 3

F2 S. 723C(1)(a) repealed (1.1.2007) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1295, 1300, Sch. 16 (with saving by S.I. 2007/1093, art. 11(2)); S.I. 2006/3428, art. 7(a), Sch. 2 Pt. 1 (with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5 (as amended by S.I. 2007/3495, art. 11, Sch. 5))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 723B-723F applied (with modifications) (2.4.2002) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (No. 2) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/913) {art. 3}, Sch.