Introduction

Welcome to Tolley’s Company Secretary’s CD-ROM. This CD-ROM contains a wide range of company secretarial and company information to help you in your everyday work and in dealing with individual issues that may arise from time to time in your company.

The chapters are written in a practical as well as informative manner and are cross-referenced where appropriate. There are also links to statutory material, Companies House Forms (which can be filled in on screen and then printed and sent to Companies House), and precedents.

The service is updated four times a year.

This noticeboard will be updated regularly so please refer to it for details of what’s new and what has changed.

List of Contributors

The following authors contribute to this service:

Douglas Armour (Consultant Editor), David Venus & Company

Marika Chalkiadis and Patricia Godfrey, Nabarro Nathanson

Jon Edis-Bates, Company Secretary and Solicitor

Malcolm Forster, Freshfields

Patrick Martin and Alistair Hogarth, Arnheim, Tite & Lewis

Professor Andrew McGee, University of Leeds

Sonia McKay, Labour Research Department

Glynis D Morris, Chartered Accountant

Andrea Oates, Labour Research Department

Professor Chris Ryan, City University

Susan Singleton, Singletons

Sarah Smith, William M Mercer Ltd

David Venus, David Venus & Company

In This Issue

All the chapters have been updated, however, particular attention should be paid to the following.

l Audit Arrangements – proposals to simplify the present provisions on dormant companies.

l Company Secretarial Practice – new ‘bearer shares’ section.

l Corporate Governance – proposed new guidance for listed companies from the ICAEW, on implementing the requirements of the Combined Code on internal control.

l Corporate Transactions – replacement of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission with the Competition Commission.

l Data Protection – Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) (Direct Marketing) Regulations 1998.

l Financial and Accounting Responsibilities of Directors – proposed increase of qualifying conditions for small companies.

l Health and Safety – Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 1999.

l Pensions – The Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill.

          The text has also been altered to take into account the changes made to the numbering of the EC Treaty by the Treaty of Amsterdam.            Note in particular that:

l Article 119 becomes Article 141;

l Article 85 becomes Article 81; and

l Article 86 becomes Article 82.

Other Information

Butterworths Tolley produces a wide range of company secretarial material, as well as products on related areas, for example, company law, accountancy and employment law. For further information, please contact the Customer Services Department on 0181 686 9141.

Technical Information

For technical assistance, call our bos helpline on 01932 334800.

Your Comments and Views

If you have any suggestions to improve the content or functionality of this service please write to Jacqueline Bird, Tolley, 2 Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 5AF. E-mail: jacqueline_bird@tolley.co.uk. Tel: 0181 686 9141.