Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 483H:"Page 336, line 5, after ““name”” insert ““and registered number””" The noble Lord said: My Lords, in rising to move Amendment No. 483H, I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 483J, 483K, 483L and 487F. Amendments Nos. 483H and 483K are identical to two which were tabled in Grand Committee by the noble Lord, Lord Sharman. His intention was to ensure that where the registrar gives notices about a particular company in, for example, the Gazette, the company should be identified not just by its name but by its registered number. I said at the time that I had a great deal of sympathy with the idea, but wanted first to check with Companies House that there would be no technical problems. I am pleased to say that we are now confident that the idea is workable in practice, and I am therefore putting the amendments that he suggested back to the House for agreement. I am grateful to the noble Lord for suggesting what is undoubtedly an improvement to the Bill. In looking at the drafting of these clauses, we have also unearthed a few small omissions and infelicities which the other amendments in this group correct. The Bill already includes provision in Clause 698 to ensure that public notice is given where certain documents are placed on the register. Amendment No. 487F ensures that similar notice must be given where such documents are removed; without this the story as seen by third parties could risk being misleading. Amendment No. 483L makes clear that the registrar need not give public notice before a company is actually incorporated. She will often receive documents in advance of, and in preparation for, the incorporation of a company, but it will be confusing to publicise these documents unless and until the company in fact exists and can be identified by a name and registered number. Finally, Amendment No. 483J is a minor drafting change which clarifies that the ““Directive disclosure requirements”” to which the clause refers, are the requirements as they apply in respect of a particular company at the time that documents relating to that company are received. I beg to move. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 698 [Public notice of receipt of certain documents]: