(1)Subject to the provisions of this section, any person may—
(a)inspect a copy of any document kept by the registrar of companies or, if the copy is illegible or unavailable, the document itself,
(b)require a certificate of the incorporation of any company, or a certified copy or extract of any other document or any part of any other document.
A certificate given under paragraph (b) may be signed by the registrar, or authenticated by his official seal.
(2)In relation to documents delivered to the registrar with a prospectus in pursuance of section 65(2), the rights conferred by subsection (1) of this section are exercisable only during the 14 days beginning with the date of publication of the prospectus, or with the permission of the Secretary of State.
(3)In relation to documents so delivered in pursuance of section 77(3)(b) and (4) (prospectus of oversea company), those rights are exercisable only during the 14 days beginning with the date of the prospectus, or with that permission.
(4)The right conferred by subsection (1) (a) of this section does not extend to any copy sent to the registrar under section 495 (information to be given by receiver or manager following his appointment) of a statement as to the affairs of a company, or of any comments of the receiver or his successor, or a continuing receiver or manager, on the statement, but only to the summary of it, except where the person claiming the right either is or is the agent of a person stating himself in writing to be a member or creditor of the company to which the statement relates.
The rights conferred by subsection (1)(b) are similarly limited.