Companies Act 1989

22 (1) In Schedule 15A (renumbered 15B) (provisions applicable to mergers and divisions of public companies), paragraph 6 (documents to be made available for inspection) is amended as follows.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)(b) (directors’ report on merger or division), after “directors’ report” insert “referred to in paragraph 4 above”.

(3) For sub-paragraph (1)(d) and (e) substitute—

“(d) the company’s annual accounts, together with the relevant directors’ report and auditors’ report, for the last three financial years ending on or before the relevant date; and

(e) if the last of those financial years ended more than six months before the relevant date, an accounting statement in the form described in the following provisions.”.

(4) In sub-paragraph (1), after the paragraphs add—

“In paragraphs (d) and (e) “the relevant date” means one month before the first meeting of the company summoned under section 425(1) or for the purposes of paragraph 1.”.

(5) For sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) substitute—

“(2) The accounting statement shall consist of—

(a) a balance sheet dealing with the state of the affairs of the company as at a date not more than three months before the draft terms were adopted by the directors, and

(b) where the company would be required to prepare group accounts if that date were the last day of a financial year, a consolidated balance sheet dealing with the state of affairs of the company and its subsidiary undertakings as at that date.

(3) The requirements of this Act as to balance sheets forming part of a company’s annual accounts, and the matters to be included in notes thereto, apply to any balance sheet required for the accounting statement, with such modifications as are necessary by reason of its being prepared otherwise than as at the last day of a financial year.

(4) Any balance sheet required for the accounting statement shall be approved by the board of directors and signed on behalf of the board by a director of the company.

(5) In relation to a company within the meaning of Article 3 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, the references in this paragraph to the requirements of this Act shall be construed as reference to the corresponding requirements of that Order.”.