Companies Act 2006 (c. 46)

Part 36 U.K. Offences under the Companies Acts [F1 and financial penalties]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Pt. 36 heading inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 104(2), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(z41)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

C2 Pts. 1-39 (except for Pt. 7 and ss. 662-669), 45-47 extended (12.5.2011) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1265), art. 5(1), Sch. 1 para. 2

General provisions U.K.

1126 Consents required for certain prosecutions U.K.

(1) This section applies to proceedings for an offence under any of the following provisions—

• section 458, 460 or 949 of this Act (offences of unauthorised disclosure of information);

• section 953 of this Act (failure to comply with rules about takeover bid documents);

• section 448, 449, 450, 451 or 453A of the Companies Act 1985 (c. 6) (offences in connection with company investigations);

• section 798 of this Act or section 455 of the Companies Act 1985 (offence of attempting to evade restrictions on shares).

• [F2 section 1112 or 1112A of this Act (false statement offences);]

• [F3 paragraph 5 or 6 of Schedule 1B to this Act (breach of certain restrictions imposed under that Schedule)]

(2) No such proceedings are to be brought in England and Wales except by or with the consent of—

(a) in the case of an offence under—

(i) section 458, 460 or 949 of this Act,

(ii) section 953 of this Act, F4 ...

(iii) section 448, 449, 450, 451 or 453A of the Companies Act 1985, [F5 or

(iv) section 1112 [F6 or 1112A] of this Act,]

the Secretary of State or the Director of Public Prosecutions;

(b) in the case of an offence under section 798 of [F7 , or paragraph 5 or 6 of Schedule 1B to,] this Act or section 455 of the Companies Act 1985, the Secretary of State.

(3) No such proceedings are to be brought in Northern Ireland except by or with the consent of—

(a) in the case of an offence under—

(i) section 458, 460 or 949 of this Act,

(ii) section 953 of this Act, F8 ...

(iii) section 448, 449, 450, 451 or 453A of the Companies Act 1985, [F9 or

(iv) section 1112 [F10 or 1112A] of this Act,]

the Secretary of State or the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland;

(b) in the case of an offence under section 798 of [F11 , or paragraph 5 or 6 of Schedule 1B to,] this Act or section 455 of the Companies Act 1985, the Secretary of State.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 1126(1) substituted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 102(4)(a), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(z40)

F3 Words in s. 1126(1) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(2); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F4 Word in s. 1126(2)(a)(ii) omitted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(3)(a); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F5 S. 1126(2)(a)(iv) and word inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(3)(b); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F6 Words in s. 1126(2)(a)(iv) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 102(4)(b), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(z40)

F7 Words in s. 1126(2)(b) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(4); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F8 Word in s. 1126(3)(a)(ii) omitted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(5)(a); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F9 S. 1126(3)(a)(iv) and word inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(5)(b); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

F10 Words in s. 1126(3)(a)(iv) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 102(4)(b), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(z40)

F11 Words in s. 1126(3)(b) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 9(6); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 4(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 Ss. 1125-1132 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2008) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1911), reg. 50 (as amended (1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 85, Sch. 3 para. 15(4))

C4 S. 1126 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 72 (as amended: (6.4.2016) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/340), reg. 1(3), Sch. 3 para. 6; and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 43; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))

Commencement Information

I1 S. 1126 wholly in force at 6.4.2008; s. 1126 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 1300; s. 1126 in force for specified purposes at 20.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3428, art. 3(2)(b) (subject to art. 5, Sch. 1 and with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5); s. 1126 in force for further specified purposes at 6.4.2007 by S.I. 2007/1093, art. 2(2)(c) (with art. 11(1)); s. 1126 in force for further specified purposes at 1.10.2007 by S.I. 2007/2194, art. 2(1)(l) (with saving in art. 12); s. 1126 fully in force at 6.4.2008 by S.I. 2007/3495, art. 3(1)(n) (with savings in arts. 7, 12)