8.—(1) Where a distribution is proposed to be declared during the accounting reference period of the successor company which includes the transfer date or before any accounts are laid or filed in respect of that period, Articles 278 to 284 of the Companies Order (accounts relevant for determining whether a distribution may be made by a company) shall have effect as if—
(a)references in Article 278 to the company’s accounts or to accounts relevant under that Article; and
(b)references in Article 281 to initial accounts,
included references to such accounts as, on the assumptions stated in sub-paragraph (2), would have been prepared under Article 234 of the Companies Order in respect of the relevant year.
(2) The said assumptions are—
(a)that the relevant year had been a financial year of the successor company;
(b)that the vesting effected by Article 54 had been a vesting of such of the assets and liabilities to which NIAL was entitled or subject immediately before the beginning of the relevant year as are determined by the transfer scheme and had been effected immediately after the beginning of that year;
(c)that the value of any asset and the amount of any liabilities of NIAL vested in the successor company under Article 54 had been the value or (as the case may be) the amount assigned to that asset or liability for the purposes of the statement of accounts prepared by NIAL in respect of the financial year immediately preceding the relevant year;
(d)that any securities of the successor company issued or allotted before the declaration of the distribution had been issued or allotted before the end of the relevant year; and
(e)such other assumptions (if any) as may appear to the directors of the successor company to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of this paragraph.
(3) For the purposes of the said accounts the amount to be included in respect of any item shall be determined as if anything done by NIAL (whether by way of acquiring, revaluing or disposing of any asset or incurring, revaluing or discharging any liability, or by carrying any amount to any provision or reserve, or otherwise) had been done by the successor company.
(4) Accordingly (but without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions) the amount to be included in any reserves of the successor company as representing its accumulated realised profits shall be determined as if any profits realised and retained by NIAL had been realised and retained by the successor company.
(5) The said accounts shall not be regarded as statutory accounts for the purposes of Article 61.
(6) In this paragraph “the relevant year” means the last complete financial year ending before the transfer date.