60Meaning of “associate”U.K.
(1)In this Chapter “associate”—
(a)in relation to an individual, has the meaning given by section 417(3) and (4) of ICTA, subject to the following provisions of this section;
(b)in relation to a company, means a person connected with the company; and
(c)in relation to a partnership, means any associate of a member of the partnership.
(2)Where an individual has an interest in shares or obligations of the company as a beneficiary of an employee benefit trust, the trustees are not regarded as associates of the individual by reason only of that interest except in the following circumstances.
(3)The exception is where—
(a)the individual, either alone or with any one or more associates of the individual, or
(b)any associate of the individual, with or without other such associates,
has at any time on or after 14th March 1989 been the beneficial owner of, or able (directly or through the medium of other companies or by any other indirect means) to control more than 5% of the ordinary share capital of the company.
(4)In subsection (3) “associate” does not include the trustees of an employee benefit trust as a result only of the individual’s having an interest in shares or obligations of the trust.
(5)Sections 549 to 554 (attribution of interests in companies to beneficiaries of employee benefit trusts) apply for the purposes of subsection (3) as they apply for the purposes of the provisions listed in section 549(2).
(6)In this section “employee benefit trust” has the meaning given by sections 550 and 551.