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Companies Act 2006

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Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Sensitive words and expressions

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Version Superseded: 04/03/2024

Status:

Point in time view as at 04/01/2024.

Changes to legislation:

Companies Act 2006, Cross Heading: Sensitive words and expressions is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Sensitive words and expressionsU.K.

54Names suggesting connection with government or public authorityU.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

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 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))

C2Ss. 53-56 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))

Commencement Information

I1S. 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)

55Other sensitive words or expressionsU.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)

C3S. 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))

C4Ss. 53-56 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))

Commencement Information

I2S. 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)

56Duty to seek comments of government department or other specified bodyU.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)

C5S. 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))

C6Ss. 53-56 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))

Commencement Information

I3S. 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)

[F256ANames suggesting connection with foreign governments etcU.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

F2S. 56A inserted (26.10.2023 but only so far as it confers a power to make regulations or relates to the exercise of the power, otherwise prosp.) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 9(2), 219(1)(2)(b)

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