Companies Act 1989

140Floating charges (Scotland)

(1)In section 463 of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 (effect of floating charge on winding up), in subsection (1) for the words “On the commencement of the winding up of a company,” there shall be substituted the words “Where a company goes into liquidation within the meaning of section 247(2) of the Insolvency Act 1986,”.

(2)Section 464 of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 (ranking of floating charges) is amended as follows.

(3)In subsection (1)(b) at the beginning there shall be inserted the words “with the consent of the holder of any subsisting floating charge or fixed security which would be adversely affected,”.

(4)After subsection (1) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(1A)Where an instrument creating a floating charge contains any such provision as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a), that provision shall be effective to confer priority on the floating charge over any fixed security or floating charge created after the date of the instrument.”.

(5)For subsection (3) there shall be substituted—

“(3)The order of ranking of the floating charge with any other subsisting or future floating charges or fixed securities over all or any part of the company’s property is determined in accordance with the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) except where it is determined in accordance with any provision such as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1).”.

(6)In subsection (5) at the end there shall be added the following paragraph— “; and

(e)(in the case of a floating charge to secure a contingent liability other than a liability arising under any further advances made from time to time) the maximum sum to which that contingent liability is capable of amounting whether or not it is contractually limited.”.

(7)In subsection (6) after the words “subject to” there shall be inserted the words “Part XII and to”.

(8)In section 466 of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 (alteration of floating charges), subsections (4) and (5) and in subsection (6) the words “falling under subsection (4) of this section” shall cease to have effect.