Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010

Grant and refusal of applications for authorisation.

89.— (1) The Minister may refuse an application under section 88 only if—

(a) the application does not comply with the requirements of section 88 ,

(b) the applicant does not provide any additional documents or information in accordance with a notice given under section 88 (3),

(c) the Minister has reasonable grounds to be satisfied that information given to the Minister by the applicant in connection with the application is false or misleading in any material particular,

(d) the Minister has reasonable grounds to be satisfied that any of the following persons is not a fit and proper person:

(i) the proposed holder of the authorisation;

(ii) in a case where the proposed holder of the authorisation is a body corporate or partnership or an individual who proposes to carry on business as a trust or company service provider as a partner in a partnership, any principal officer of the body corporate or partnership (as the case may be);

(iii) any person who is, or is proposed to be, a beneficial owner of the business concerned,

(e) the applicant has failed to satisfy the Minister that the proposed holder of the authorisation will comply with the obligations imposed on trust or company service providers, as designated persons, under this Part,

(f) the applicant has failed to satisfy the Minister that the proposed holder of the authorisation will comply with each of the following:

(i) any conditions that the Minister would have imposed on the authorisation concerned if the Minister had granted the application;

(ii) any prescribed requirements referred to in section 94 ;

(iii) section 95 ;

(iv) section 98 ;

(v) section 106 ,

(g) the proposed holder of the authorisation is so structured, or the business of the proposed holder is so organised, that the proposed holder is not capable of being regulated under this Chapter, or as a designated person under this Part, to the satisfaction of the Minister,

(h) in a case where the proposed holder of the authorisation is a body corporate, the body corporate is being wound up,

(i) in a case where the proposed holder of the authorisation is a partnership, the partnership is dissolved by the death or bankruptcy of a partner or because of the operation of a provision of the Partnership Act 1890 or otherwise,

(j) in a case where any person referred to in paragraph (d) has been authorised to carry on business as a trust or company service provider in another Member State, an authority of the other Member State that performs functions similar to those of the Minister under this Chapter has terminated the authority of the person to carry on business as a trust or company service provider in the other Member State, or

(k) in a case where the proposed holder of the authorisation is a subsidiary of a body corporate that is authorised to carry on business as a trust or company service provider in another Member State, an authority of the other Member State that performs functions similar to those of the Minister under this Chapter has terminated the authority of the body corporate to carry on business as a trust or company service provider in the other Member State.

(2) If the Minister proposes to refuse an application, the Minister shall serve on the applicant a notice in writing—

(a) specifying the grounds on which the Minister proposes to refuse the application, and

(b) informing the applicant that the applicant may, within 21 days after the serving of the notice, make written representations to the Minister showing why the Minister should grant the application.

(3) Not later than 21 days after a notice is served on an applicant under subsection (2), the applicant may make written representations to the Minister showing why the Minister should grant the application.

(4) The Minister may refuse an application only after having considered any representations made by the applicant in accordance with subsection (3).

(5) As soon as practicable after refusing an application, the Minister shall serve a written notice of the refusal on the applicant. The notice shall include a statement—

(a) setting out the grounds on which the Minister has refused the application, and

(b) informing the applicant that—

(i) the applicant may appeal to an Appeal Tribunal against the refusal, and

(ii) if the applicant proposes to appeal to an Appeal Tribunal against the refusal, the applicant may, within one month after being served with the notice of refusal, serve a notice of intention to appeal on the Minister, in the form provided or specified by the Minister.

(6) If the Minister does not refuse the application, he or she shall grant it and, on granting the application, the Minister shall—

(a) record the appropriate particulars of the holder of the authorisation in the register of persons authorised to carry on business as a trust or company service provider, and

(b) issue the applicant with an authorisation that authorises the holder of the authorisation to carry on business as a trust or company service provider.