New
draft regulations will help protect the private details of company directors
currently living under the threat of violence and intimidation.
A
new document published by Consumer and Competition Minister Melanie Johnson
states that directors should be allowed to apply for a confidentiality order,
preventing their home addresses appearing on official public records.
"These
draft regulations will, when they become law, help prevent cases of
intimidation. Directors details will now only be available to legal and
regulatory bodies," she said.
The
measures are being taken to stop the scenario endured by bosses at
controversial biotechnology firm Huntingdon Life Sciences, where directors
suffered threats and abuse.
However,
directors wanting to withhold their details will have to demonstrate that they
are at risk if their details are made public.
"We
must stress that only directors who are at genuine risk will be able to
benefit. We will not grant confidentiality orders in other circumstances."
By
Ben Willmott
