Section 473 | Meaning of “major interest”

(1)In this Part references to a company (“A”) having a major interest in another company (“B”) are to be read as follows.

(2)A has a major interest in B at any time if at that time—

(a)A and one other person (“C”), taken together, have control of B, and

(b)A and C each have interests, rights and powers representing at least 40% of the holdings, rights and powers as a result of which A and C are taken to have control of B.

(3)The reference in subsection (2)(b) to interests, rights and powers does not include interests, rights or powers arising from shares held by a company if—

(a)a profit on a sale of the shares would be treated as a trading receipt of a trade carried on by the company, and

(b)the shares are not assets held by an insurance company for the purposes of its long-term business.^F1

(4)Section 474 makes provision about how this section operates where connected companies or partnerships are involved.

(5)For the purposes of this section and section 474, a company (“D”) is connected with another company (“E”) if—

(a)D controls E,

(b)E controls D, or

(c)D and E are both controlled by the same company.

(6)Section 472 (meaning of “control”) applies for the purposes of this section and section 474.

(7)If two or more persons taken together have the power mentioned in section 472(2) (as read with the other provisions of section 472) as respects the affairs of a company (“B”), they are taken for the purposes of subsection (2)(a) to have control of B.