Broadcasting Act 1990

137 Target investment limit for Government shareholding in nominated company

(1) As soon as he considers it expedient, and in any case not later than six months after the nominated company ceases to be wholly owned by the Crown, the Secretary of State shall by order fix a target investment limit in relation to the aggregate of the shares for the time being held in the company, under or by virtue of any enactment, by any Minister of the Crown or any nominee of his (“the Government shareholding”).

(2) The target investment limit for the Government shareholding in the company shall be expressed as a proportion of the voting rights which are exercisable in all circumstances at general meetings of the company (“the ordinary voting rights”).

(3) The first target investment limit fixed under this section for the Government shareholding in the company shall be equal to the proportion of the ordinary voting rights which is in fact carried by the Government shareholding in the company at the time when the order fixing the limit is made.

(4) The Secretary of State may from time to time by order fix a new target investment limit for the Government shareholding in the company in place of the one previously in force under this section; but—

(a) any new limit must be lower than the one it replaces; and

(b) an order under this section may only be revoked by an order fixing a new limit.

(5) It shall be the duty of a Minister of the Crown so to exercise—

(a) any power to dispose of any shares held in the company under or by virtue of any enactment, and

(b) his power to give directions to any nominee of his,

as to secure that the Government shareholding in the company does not carry a proportion of the ordinary voting rights exceeding any target investment limit for the time being in force under this section.

(6) Notwithstanding subsection (5), a Minister of the Crown may take up, or direct any nominee of his to take up, any rights for the time being available to him, or to the nominee, as an existing holder of shares or other securities of the company; but if, as a result, the proportion of the ordinary voting rights carried by the Government shareholding in the company at any time exceeds the target investment limit for the time being in force under this section, it shall be the duty of that Minister to comply with subsection (5) as soon after that time as is reasonably practicable.

(7) References in this section to a Minister of the Crown include references to the Treasury; and for the purposes of this section the temporary suspension of any of the ordinary voting rights shall be disregarded.

(8) Any order under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.