(1)In this Chapter, in relation to an offer to allot securities required by—
(a)section 561 (existing shareholders' right of pre-emption), or
(b)any provision to which section 568 applies (articles conferring corresponding right),
a reference (however expressed) to the holder of shares of any description is to whoever was the holder of shares of that description at the close of business on a date to be specified in the offer.
(2)The specified date must fall within the period of 28 days immediately before the date of the offer.
(1)The provisions of this Chapter are without prejudice to any other enactment by virtue of which a company is prohibited (whether generally or in specified circumstances) from offering or allotting equity securities to any person.
(2)Where a company cannot by virtue of such an enactment offer or allot equity securities to a holder of ordinary shares of the company, those shares are disregarded for the purposes of section 561 (existing shareholders' right of pre-emption), so that—
(a)the person is not treated as a person who holds ordinary shares, and
(b)the shares are not treated as forming part of the ordinary share capital of the company.
(1)In the case of a public company the provisions of this Chapter do not apply to an allotment of equity securities that are subject to a pre-emption requirement in relation to which section 96(1) of the Companies Act 1985 (c. 6) or Article 106(1) of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I. 6)) applied immediately before the commencement of this Chapter.
(2)In the case of a private company a pre-emption requirement to which section 96(3) of the Companies Act 1985 or Article 106(3) of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 applied immediately before the commencement of this Chapter shall have effect, so long as the company remains a private company, as if it were contained in the company’s articles.
(3)A pre-emption requirement to which section 96(4) of the Companies Act 1985 or Article 106(4) of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 applied immediately before the commencement of this section shall be treated for the purposes of this Chapter as if it were contained in the company’s articles.
The provisions of this Chapter have no application in relation to the taking of shares by the subscribers to the memorandum on the formation of the company.