Part 15U.K.Accounts and reports

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

C4Pt. 15 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/569), regs. 4, 7, Sch. Pt. 1

C5Pt. 15 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 16 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, Sch. 2)

Chapter 8U.K.Public companies: laying of accounts and reports before general meeting

437Public companies: laying of accounts and reports before general meetingU.K.

(1)The directors of a public company must lay before the company in general meeting copies of its annual accounts and reports.

(2)This section must be complied with not later than the end of the period for filing the accounts and reports in question.

(3)In the Companies Acts“accounts meeting”, in relation to a public company, means a general meeting of the company at which the company's annual accounts and reports are (or are to be) laid in accordance with this section.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C9Ss. 437, 438 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by 1996 c. 52, Sch. 1 para. 16D (as substituted by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 202(3) (with arts. 6, 11, 12))

C11Ss. 418-469 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, Sch. 2)

C12Ss. 430-438 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, 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))

438Public companies: offence of failure to lay accounts and reportsU.K.

(1)If the requirements of section 437 (public companies: laying of accounts and reports before general meeting) are not complied with before the end of the period allowed, every person who immediately before the end of that period was a director of the company commits an offence.

(2)It is a defence for a person charged with such an offence to prove that he took all reasonable steps for securing that those requirements would be complied with before the end of that period.

(3)It is not a defence to prove that the documents in question were not in fact prepared as required by this Part.

(4)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale and, for continued contravention, a daily default fine not exceeding [F1one-tenth of level 5 on the standard scale][F1one-tenth of the greater of £5,000 or level 4 on the standard scale].

Textual Amendments

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C12Ss. 430-438 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, 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))

C14Ss. 437, 438 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by 1996 c. 52, Sch. 1 para. 16D (as substituted by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 202(3) (with arts. 6, 11, 12))

C16Ss. 418-469 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, Sch. 2)