PART XVINVESTIGATION OF COMPANIES AND THEIR AFFAIRS; REQUISITION OF DOCUMENTS
Supplementary
Privileged information445
F21 F3
Nothing in Articles 424 to 439 requires the disclosure to the Department or to an inspector appointed by the Department—
a
by any person of information which he would in an action in the High Court be entitled to refuse to disclose on grounds of legal professional privilege except, if he is a lawyer, the name and address of his client,
Sub-para. (b) rep. by 1990 NI 10
F41A F3
Nothing in Article 427, 436 or 439 requires a person (except as mentioned in paragraph (1B)) to disclose information or produce documents in respect of which he owes an obligation of confidence by virtue of carrying on the business of banking unless—
a
the person to whom the obligation of confidence is owed is the company or other body corporate under investigation,
b
the person to whom the obligation of confidence is owed consents to the disclosure or production, or
c
the making of the requirement is authorised by the Department.
1B
Paragraph (1A) does not apply where the person owing the obligation of confidence is the company or other body corporate under investigation under Article 424, 425 or 426.
F22
Nothing in Articles 440 to 444 compels the production by any person of a document which he would in an action in the High Court be entitled to refuse on grounds of legalF5 professional privilege, or authorises the taking of possession of any such document which is in the person's possession.
F23
The Department shall not under Article 440 require, or authorise an officer of the DepartmentF4 or other person to require, the production by a person carrying on the business of banking of a document relating to the affairs of a customer of his unless either it appears to the Department that it is necessary to do so for the purpose of investigating the affairs of the first-mentioned personF6 or the customer is—
F6a
a person on whom a requirement has been imposed under that Article, or
b
an authorised insurance company on whom a requirement to produce information or documents has been imposed by or on behalf of the Secretary of State under Part XI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
F7Investigation of bodies incorporated outside Northern Ireland446
1
The provisions of this Part apply to bodies corporate incorporated outside Northern Ireland which are carrying on business in Northern Ireland, or have at any time carried on business there, as they apply to companies under this Order; but subject to the following exceptions, adaptations and modifications.
2
The following provisions do not apply to such bodies—
a
Article 424 (investigation on application of company or its members),
b
Article 431 (power to bring civil proceedings on the company's behalf),
c
Articles 435 to 438 (investigation of company ownership and power to obtain information as to those interested in shares, &c.), and
d
Article 439 (investigation of share dealings).
3
The other provisions of this Part apply to such bodies subject to such adaptations and modifications as may be prescribed.
Offences by bodies corporate446D
Where an offence under any of Articles 441, 442 to 444 and 446B is committed by a body corporate, every officer of the body who is in default also commits the offence. For this purpose—
a
any person who purports to act as director, manager or secretary of the body is treated as an officer of the body, and
b
if the body is a company, any shadow director is treated as an officer of the company.