The Companies (Particulars of Usual Residential Address) (Confidentiality Orders) Regulations 2002

Referral of questions for the purposes of the determination of an application

3.—(1) The Secretary of State may, in respect of any application or category of applications, refer to a relevant body any question relating to an assessment, in the case of such application or category of applications, of the nature and extent of any risk of violence or intimidation considered by the applicant as likely to be created in relation to the applicant, or any person living with him, by virtue of the availability for inspection by members of the public of particulars of his usual residential address.

(2) The Secretary of State may also refer to a relevant body any question as to the nature or extent of any risk of violence or intimidation likely to be created in relation to any applicant or category of applicants or persons living with them as a result of their involvement in the activities of a particular company or category of companies or of a particular sector of commerce or industry.

(3) The Secretary of State may accept any answer to a question referred in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) as providing sufficient evidence of the nature and extent of any risk relevant to an applicant or any person living with him for the purposes of any determination under section 723B(3) or (4) of the 1985 Act.

(4) In this regulation, “relevant body” means any police force and any other person whom the Secretary of State considers may be able to assist in answering a question referred to that person under paragraph (1) or (2).