(1) A person meets the independence requirement for the purposes of section 909 or 924 (expert's report) or section 935 (valuation by another person) only if -
(a) he is not -
(i) an officer or employee of any of the companies concerned in the scheme, or
(ii) a partner or employee of such a person, or a partnership of which such a person is a partner;
(b) he is not -
(i) an officer or employee of an associated undertaking of any of the companies concerned in the scheme, or
(ii) a partner or employee of such a person, or a partnership of which such a person is a partner; and
(c) there does not exist between -
(i) the person or an associate of his, and
(ii) any of the companies concerned in the scheme or an associated undertaking of such a company,
a connection of any such description as may be specified by regulations made by the Secretary of State.
(2) An auditor of a company is not regarded as an officer or employee of the company for this purpose.
(3) For the purposes of this section
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