Building Societies Act 1986

38 Power to determine building society’s powers. U.K.

(1) The Commission shall have power to determine whether a particular activity of a building society or its subsidiary is or is not within the existing powers of the society and may, if it thinks fit, take such professional advice as it considers it needs to enable it to make the determination.

(2) A determination may be made under this section in relation to an activity which is proposed to be carried on as well as in relation to one which is being carried on.

(3) The powers of the Commission in relation to a building society are exercisable—

(a) on an application made by the society, requesting the Commission to make the determination,

(b) on an application made by the society at the direction of the central office under Part II of Schedule 2 to this Act, or

(c) on the Commission’s own motion or on an application made by the society at its direction,

as provided in subsection (4), (5), (6) or (8) below.

(4) A building society may at any time, on complying with the following provisions of this section, make an application to the Commission for a determination under this section whether an activity specified in the application is or is not within its powers if the directors of the society are of the opinion that there is a doubt about the existence or extent of the powers to carry on the activity which requires to be resolved in the interests of the society.

(5) A building society which has been directed by the central office under Part II of Schedule 2 to this Act to make an application to the Commission under this section shall, in accordance with the direction, make an application to the Commission for a determination whether the activity specified in the application is or is not within its powers.

(6) If it appears to the Commission at any time that a building society or its subsidiary is carrying on or is about to carry on an activity which is or may be outside the existing powers of the society, the Commission may, by notice to the society specifying the activity and its opinion, direct it to make an application for a determination under this section whether the activity is or is not within its powers and it shall be the duty of the society to comply with the direction.

(7) A direction under subsection (6) shall require the application to be made within the period of 21 days beginning with the date on which the notice is given, but the Commission may extend or further extend the period within which the application is to be made.

(8) If a building society fails, within the time allowed by or under subsection (7) above, to make an application as directed under subsection (6) above, the Commission may, of its own motion, proceed to make a determination under this section as if an application had been made by the society.

(9) An application by a building society under subsection (4), (5) or (6) above shall be made in writing, signed by the secretary as such an application, and shall comprise—

(a) a statement of the question for determination, specifying the activity and the powers in question, the nature of the doubt and (except in the case of an application under subsection (6)) the arguments for and against the activity being within those powers, as they appear to the society, and

(b) such documents or draft documents and such other information as are necessary to enable the determination to be made.

(10) The statement of the question for determination may, with the agreement of the Commission, be amended at any time before the determination is made and in that event further documents and other information may be included in the application.

(11) The Commission may, by notice to the society, require a society making an application under subsection (4), (5) or (6) above to amend the statement of the question for determination or to furnish such further documents or other information or such explanations of the statement, documents or information as appear to it to be necessary to enable the determination of the question to be made; and the Commission may allow or require the explanations to be made orally instead of in writing.

(12) In this section and sections 39 and 40—

• “activity” includes the exercise, or purported exercise, of any power under this Act, including the holding of any property or rights;

• “existing", with reference to powers, means existing at the relevant date and, in relation to a building society, “existing powers" denotes the powers it has, or has adopted, under this Act, with any restrictions it has assumed, as at that date but disregarding anything done by the Commission and then in force (otherwise than under section 39 or 40) by virtue of which the society is precluded from exercising, or is subject to restrictions on the exercise of, its powers;

• “the relevant date”, in relation to a building society, means—

(a) in a case where the Commission decides to proceed of its own motion, the date when the Commission so decides;

(b) in a case where the society makes the application at the direction of the central office, the date specified in the direction; and

(c) in any other case, the date on which the society makes the application.

(13) Nothing in this section or section 39 or 40 implies that it is improper for the Commission to give to a building society or building societies generally an indication of the action it might or might not take in relation to any proposed activity of theirs; and if any determination comes to be made in relation to the activity the proceedings shall not be liable to be set aside by reason of the indication having been given.