Article 161 Financial assistance generally prohibited

Northern Ireland

(F11)

Subject to the following provisions of this Chapter, where a person is acquiring or is proposing to acquire shares in a company, it is not lawful for the company or any of its subsidiaries to give financial assistance directly or indirectly for the purpose of that acquisition before or at the same time as the acquisition takes place.

(2)

Subject to those provisions, where a person has acquired shares in a company and any liability has been incurred (by that or any other person) for the purpose of that acquisition, it is not lawful for the company or any of its subsidiaries to give financial assistance directly or indirectly for the purpose of reducing or discharging the liability so incurred.

(3)

If a company acts in contravention of this Article, it is liable to a fine, and every officer of it who is in default is liable to imprisonment or a fine, or both.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Art. 161 repealed (1.10.2008 with application as mentioned in art. 5(2) of the commencing S.I.) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1284(2), 1295, 1300(2), Sch. 16; S.I. 2007/3495, arts. 5(2), 8(b), Sch. 3 Pt. 2 (with arts. 7, 12, Sch. 4 paras. 51, 52)

Notes on the whole Order

Textual amendments

F1: Order revoked (1.1.2007 for the revocation of arts. 39(4), 52, 656A(1), 658, 660, 20.1.2007 for the revocation of arts. 206-228, 246(4A)-(4E), 247(2A)(2B), 259(2A)-(2E), 261(2A), 270 and 270A (for specified purposes), 374A(3A)(6), 377(5)-(11), 380(2A)(2B)(6A), 387A(2B)-(2F)(6), 6.4.2007 for the revocation of arts. 51, 301, 302, 319, 331-337, 351, 352, 432(2)(8) (for specified purposes), 432(3)(7), 446(2)(b), 669, 677, Sch. 13 Pts. 2-4, Sch. 22, 6.4.2007 for the revocation of arts. 2 (for specified purposes), 421-423F, Sch. 7 paras. 2, 2A, 2B, 1.10.2007 for the revocation of arts. 9, 135(6), 242(1) (for specified purposes), 242ZZB, 249 (for specified purposes), 254(4)(a) (for specified purposes), 254A(2A), 260, 261, 290, 293, 300, 311, 312, 317, 318 (for specified purposes), 320-324, 326-330, 330B, 338-355, 364, 365 (for specified purposes), 374-387, 387A91)(b)-(e), 388(1)(4)(a)(c)-(m), 389-391, 392 and 393 (for specified purposes), 393A, 394, 395-396A (for specified purposes), 401, 451-454, Sch. 13 Pt. 1, Sch. 15A, Sch. 23 (for specified purposes), 6.4.2008 for the revocation of art. 2 (for specified purposes), 10A-10C, 46A(2)(4)-(6), 46A93) (for specified purposes), 68, 91, 127, 128, 192(1)(b), 193-205, 229-242ZZA, 242ZA-259, 262-289, 291, 292, 294, 318, 360(6)(7), 388(4)(b), 392, 393, 395-396A, 397A-400A, 401A, 401B, 418-420A, 680-680B, Schs. 4-11, 15B, 23 (for specified purposes), 1.10.2008 for the revocation of arts. 161-163 and 165-168 (for specified purposes), 313, 325, 356, 357, 359, 675, Sch. 23 (for specified purposes) and 1.10.2009 in so far as not already in force) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1284(2), 1300(2), Sch. 16; S.I. 2006/3428, art. 2(2)(h), 3(2)(e), 4(2), 7(a)(b)(c), Sch. 1 Pt. 2, Sch. 3 Pt. 2, Sch. 4 Pt. 2 (with arts. 6, 8(2), Sch. 1 paras. 7, 8, 15, Sch. 5 Pt. 2 (which transitional provisions in Sch. 1 are revoked (1.10.2009) by S.I. 2008/2860, arts. 1(2), 6(1)(a) (with arts. 5, 8, Sch. 2)); S.I. 2007/1093, art. 5, Sch. 2 Pt. 2 (with arts. 4, 11(1), Sch. 6 paras. 1, 5); S.I. 2007/2194, arts. 2(4), 8, Sch. 2 Pt. 2 (with arts. 7, 12(2), Sch. 3) (as amended: (30.9.2007) by S.I. 2007/2607, arts. 1, 4(2)(3); (31.12.2007) by S.I. 2007/3495, arts. 2(6)(a), 11, Sch. 5 para. 2(6); and (14.1.2008) by S.I. 2007/3495, arts. 2(6)(b), 11, Sch. 5 para. 2(2)(7) (as itself amended (6.4.2008) by S.I. 2008/674, arts. 2(3), 5, Sch. 3 para. 7)); S.I. 2007/3495, art. 5(2), 8(a)(b), Sch. 2 Pt. 2, Sch. 3 Pt. 2 (with arts. 7, 9, 12, Sch. 4) (as amended (6.4.2008) by S.I. 2008/674, arts. 2(3), 5, Sch. 3 para. 6); S.I. 2008/2860, art. 3(z), 4, Sch. 2 Pt. 2 (with arts. 7, 8, 63(5), Sch. 2 paras. 1, 114 (which transitional provisions in Sch. 2 are amended (1.10.2009) by S.I. 2009/2476, arts. 1(3), 2(3)(4) and by S.I. 2009/1802, arts. 1, 18, Sch.)) (as amended (1.10.2009) by S.I. 2009/1941, arts. 1(2), 13); and with further savings and transitional provisions (1.10.2009) in S.I. 2009/1801, reg. 1(2), Sch. 8 and S.I. 2009/1804, reg. 2(3), Schs. 1, 2