Companies Act 1989

Market chargesE+W+S

9(1)The charges to which paragraphs 10 to 12 apply are charges, whether fixed or floating, granted—

(a)in favour of a recognised investment exchange, for the purpose of securing debts or liabilities arising in connection with the settlement of market contracts,

(b)in favour of a recognised clearing house, for the purpose of securing debts or liabilities arising in connection with their ensuring the performance of market contracts, or

(c)in favour of a person who agrees to make payments as a result of the transfer of specified securities made through the medium of a computer-based system established by the Bank of England and The Stock Exchange, for the purpose of securing debts or liabilities of the transferee arising in connection with the payments.

Those charges are referred to in this Schedule as “market charges”.

(2)Where a charge is granted partly for purposes specified in sub-paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) and partly for other purposes, paragraphs 10 to 12 apply to it so far as it has effect for the specified purposes; and the expression “market charge” shall be construed accordingly.

(3)In this paragraph and paragraphs 10 to 12—

• “charge” means any form of security, including a mortgage and, in Scotland, a heritable security; and

• “specified securities” means securities for the time being specified in the list in Schedule 1 to the M1Stock Transfer Act 1982, and includes any right to such securities.

10The general law of insolvency has effect in relation to market charges and action taken in enforcing them subject to the following provisions of this Schedule.

11(1)Sections 10(1)(b) and 11(3)(c) of the M2Insolvency Act 1986 (no enforcement of security while petition for administration order pending or order in force) do not apply to a market charge.

(2)Section 11(2) of that Act (receiver to vacate office when so required by administrator) does not apply to a receiver appointed under a market charge.

(3)Section 15(1) and (2) of that Act (administrator’s power to deal with charged property) do not apply to a market charge.

(4)Sections 127 and 284 of that Act (avoidance of property dispositions effected after commencement of winding up or presentation of bankruptcy petition) do not apply to—

(a)a disposition of property as a result of which the property becomes subject to a market charge, or any transaction pursuant to which that disposition is made, or

(b)any disposition of property made in enforcing a market charge.

(5)However, if a person (other than the chargee under the market charge) who is a party to a disposition mentioned in sub-paragraph (4)(a) knows at the time of the disposition that a petition has been presented for the winding up or bankruptcy of the party making the disposition, the value of any profit or benefit to him arising from the disposition is recoverable from him by the relevant office-holder unless the court directs otherwise.

(6)Any sum recoverable by virtue of sub-paragraph (5) has the same priority, in the event of the insolvency of the person from whom it is due, as if it were secured by a fixed charge.

12(1)No legal proceedings, execution or other legal process may be commenced or continued, and no distress may be levied against property which is, or becomes, subject to a market charge except with the consent of the person in whose favour the charge was granted or the leave of the court.

(2)The court may give leave subject to such terms as it thinks fit.

(3)Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to proceedings to enforce any security over, or any equitable interest in, the property.

(4)Sections 10(1)(c), 11(3)(d), 130(3) and 285(3) of the M3Insolvency Act 1986 (which restrict the taking of certain legal proceedings and other steps) have effect accordingly.

(5)In the application of this paragraph to Scotland, the reference to execution being commenced or continued includes a reference to diligence being carried out or continued, and the reference to distress being levied shall be omitted.