The Government has announced measures to allow
directors who are under threat of violence to keep their home addresses
private.
Measures
in an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Police Bill will be designed to
protect directors from the kind of violence experienced by directors and
employees of Huntingdon Life Sciences.
Animal
rights activists in the last few months targeted the company, which conducts
legitimate medical research on animals.
At
present all directors must file their residential address, available for
inspection at Companies House.
The
new clause will allow directors who are at serious risk of violence or
intimidation to apply to the Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers for
permission to file a service address instead of their home address.
Byers
said, “Urgent action is required and the government is therefore introducing a
clause which will protect directors at genuine risk of violence.”
