(1) A person may not be an owner unless it -

(a) is a company or limited liability partnership; and

(b) has its registered office and centre of main interests in the United Kingdom.

(2) Regulation 15(3) applies to a contravention of the prohibition in paragraph (1) as it applies to a contravention of the prohibition in regulation 15(1) or (2).

(3) In paragraph (1) -

"company" has the meaning given by section 735 of the Companies Act 1985 [1985 c.6.] ("company" etc) and article 3 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 [S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I.6).] ("company" etc) until the coming into force of section 1 of the 2006 Act (companies) when it will have the meaning given by that section;

"limited liability partnership" has the meaning given -

(a) in relation to Great Britain, by section 1 of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 [2000 c.12.] (limited liability partnerships); and