117Register of members: response to request for inspection or copyU.K.
(1)Where a company receives a request under section 116 (register of members: right to inspect and require copy), it must within five working days either—
(a)comply with the request, or
(b)apply to the court.
(2)If it applies to the court it must notify the person making the request.
(3)If on an application under this section the court is satisfied that the inspection or copy is not sought for a proper purpose—
(a)it shall direct the company not to comply with the request, and
(b)it may further order that the company's costs (in Scotland, expenses) on the application be paid in whole or in part by the person who made the request, even if he is not a party to the application.
(4)If the court makes such a direction and it appears to the court that the company is or may be subject to other requests made for a similar purpose (whether made by the same person or different persons), it may direct that the company is not to comply with any such request.
The order must contain such provision as appears to the court appropriate to identify the requests to which it applies.
(5)If on an application under this section the court does not direct the company not to comply with the request, the company must comply with the request immediately upon the court giving its decision or, as the case may be, the proceedings being discontinued.