459Power of authorised person to require documents, information and explanationsU.K.
(1)This section applies where it appears to a person who is authorised under section 457 that there is, or may be, a question whether a company's annual accounts [F1, strategic report or directors’ report complies] comply with the requirements of this Act F2....
(2)The authorised person may require any of the persons mentioned in subsection (3) to produce any document, or to provide him with any information or explanations, that he may reasonably require for the purpose of—
(a)discovering whether there are grounds for an application to the court under section 456, or
(b)deciding whether to make such an application.
(3)Those persons are—
(a)the company;
(b)any officer, employee, or auditor of the company;
(c)any persons who fell within paragraph (b) at a time to which the document or information required by the authorised person relates.
(4)If a person fails to comply with such a requirement, the authorised person may apply to the court.
(5)If it appears to the court that the person has failed to comply with a requirement under subsection (2), it may order the person to take such steps as it directs for securing that the documents are produced or the information or explanations are provided.
(6)A statement made by a person in response to a requirement under subsection (2) or an order under subsection (5) may not be used in evidence against him in any criminal proceedings.
(7)Nothing in this section compels any person to disclose documents or information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege (in Scotland, to confidentiality of communications) could be maintained in legal proceedings.
(8)In this section “document” includes information recorded in any form.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 459(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1970), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. para. 16
F2Words in s. 459(1) omitted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by virtue of The International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/685), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 1 para. 18 (with reg. 1(4)-(8), Sch. 1 para. 64) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(b)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Ss. 458-461 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. 24 (as amended: (1.10.2009) by S.I. 2009/1804, regs. 2, 85, Sch. 3 para. 16; (1.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/472, Sch. 2 para. 143(a); (1.8.2014) by S.I. 2014/1815, reg. 1(2), Sch. para. 22; (with effect in accordance with reg. 2(5)(a) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2017/1164, reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 3 para. 8 (with reg. 2(6)(7)); (1.3.2017) by S.I. 2017/80, reg. 1, Sch. para. 28; (1.4.2019) by S.I. 2018/1155, regs. 2, 22; (31.12.2020) by S.I. 2019/145, reg. 1(2)(c), Sch. 3 para. 18; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1); (with effect for financial years beginning on or after 6.4.2021) by S.I. 2021/153, regs. 1, 16; and (6.5.2021) by S.I. 2021/465), arts. 1(2), 6(3) (with art. 9))
C2S. 459 modified (2.7.2012) by The Supervision of Accounts and Reports (Prescribed Body) and Companies (Defective Accounts and Directors' Reports) (Authorised Person) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1439), art. 8(3)
C3Ss. 441-469 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with reg. 7, Sch. 2) (as amended (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Unregistered Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1972), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(a))