Railways Act 1993

98 Initial share holding in successor companies

(1) This section applies where any property, rights or liabilities are vested in accordance with a transfer scheme in a successor company which at the time of the vesting is either—

(a) a wholly owned subsidiary of the Board; or

(b) Government owned.

(2) Where this section applies, the successor company shall, as a consequence of the vesting referred to in subsection (1) above, issue to the appropriate person such securities of that company as may from time to time be directed—

(a) by the Secretary of State, if the transfer scheme was made in pursuance of a direction given by him; or

(b) in any other case, by the Board with the consent of the Secretary of State.

(3) The “appropriate person” for the purposes of subsection (2) above is—

(a) the Board, in a case where the direction under that subsection is given at a time when the successor company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Board; or

(b) the Secretary of State, in a case where the direction under that subsection is given at a time when the successor company is Government owned.

(4) No direction shall be given under subsection (2) above to the successor company at any time after that company—

(a) has ceased to be Government owned, or

(b) has ceased to be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Board,

unless, in a case where paragraph (b) above would otherwise apply, the cessation mentioned in that paragraph occurs in consequence of the successor company’s becoming Government owned pursuant to a direction under section 88(6) above, in which case directions under subsection (2) above may continue to be given until the company ceases to be Government owned.

(5) Securities required to be issued in pursuance of a direction under subsection (2) above shall be issued or allotted at such time or times, and on such terms, as may be specified in the direction.

(6) Shares of the successor company which are issued in pursuance of a direction under subsection (2) above—

(a) shall be of such nominal value as the Secretary of State may direct; and

(b) shall be issued as fully paid and treated for the purposes of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 as if they had been paid up by virtue of the payment to that company of their nominal value in cash.

(7) Any dividends or other sums received by the Treasury or the Secretary of State in right of, or on the disposal of, any securities acquired by virtue of this section shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

(8) In this section, “Government owned”, in relation to any successor company, means wholly owned by the Crown, but not wholly owned by the Franchising Director.