(1) For the purposes of section 309A(4) a provision is a qualifying third party indemnity provision if it is a provision such as is mentioned in section 309A(3) in relation to which conditions A to C below are satisfied.
(2) Condition A is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director—
(3) Condition B is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to pay—
(4) Condition C is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director—
(5) In paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (4) the reference to any such conviction, judgment or refusal of relief is a reference to one that has become final.
(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) a conviction, judgment or refusal of relief becomes final—
(a) if not appealed against, at the end of the period for bringing an appeal, or
(b) if appealed against, at the time when the appeal (or any further appeal) is disposed of.
(7) An appeal is disposed of—
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| (a) | if it is determined and the period for bringing any further appeal has ended, or |
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| (b) | if it is abandoned or otherwise ceases to have effect. |
(8) In this section “associated company” and “provision” have the same meaning as in section 309A.”
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| Section 727 of the Companies Act 1985 provides as follows: |
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| “Power of court to grant relief in certain circumstances |
(1) If in any proceedings for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust against an officer of a company or a person employed by a company as auditor (whether he is or is not an officer of the company) it appears to the court hearing the case that officer or person is or may be liable in respect of the negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, but that he has acted honestly and reasonably, and that having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including those connected with his appointment) he ought fairly to be excused for the negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, that court may relieve him, either wholly or partly, from his liability on such terms as it thinks fit.
(2) If any such officer or person as above-mentioned has reason to apprehend that any claim will or might be made against him in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, he may apply to the court for relief; and the court on the application has the same power to relieve him as under this section it would have had if it had been a court before which proceedings against that person for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust had been brought.
(3) Where a case to which subsection (1) applies is being tried by a judge with a jury, the judge, after hearing the evidence, may, if he is satisfied that the defendant or defender ought in pursuance of that subsection to be relieved either in whole or in part from the liability sought to be enforced against him, withdraw the case in whole or in part from the jury and forthwith direct judgment to be entered for the defendant or defender on such terms as to costs or otherwise as the judge may think proper.”
In addition, BP procures and intends to continue procuring, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage for the benefit of such directors and officers, which, subject to policy terms and conditions, provides coverage to such directors and officers in circumstances in which BP, its subsidiaries and associated entities are not permitted or are otherwise unable or unwilling to meet by way of indemnity expenses incurred by such directors and officers in defense of a claim, proceeding or investigation. No entity coverage for the benefit of BP is currently included as
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part of that insurance policy. While defense costs may be met, neither BP’s indemnity nor the insurance provides coverage in the event that a director or officer is proved to have acted fraudulently or dishonestly.
Item 8.Exhibits.
The following Exhibits are filed herewith unless otherwise indicated:
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Exhibit No. | Description |
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4.1 | BP Employee Savings Plan |
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5.1 | Opinion of Peter B. P. Bevan, Group General Counsel of BP p.l.c. regarding the validity of the securities being registered and consent of counsel |
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5.2 | Opinion of Roland K. Filippi, Associate General Counsel of BP America Inc. regarding the validity of the interests in the plan being registered and consent of counsel |
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23.1 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, London, England |
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23.2 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, Chicago, Illinois |
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23.3 | Consent of Peter B. P. Bevan (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
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23.4 | Consent of Roland K. Filippi (included in Exhibit 5.2) |
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24.1 | Powers of Attorney (included in the signature page of this Registration Statement) |
Item 9.Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
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| (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
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| (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and |
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| (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
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periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initialbona fideoffering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initialbona fideoffering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of London, England, on February 3, 2006.
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| BP p.l.c. |
| (Registrant) |
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| By: | /s/ David J. Jackson |
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| (Name) David J. Jackson |
| (Title) Company Secretary |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each director and officer of the Registrant whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Daniel B. Pinkert, the agent for service named in the registration statement, and appoints each of The Lord Browne of Madingley, Dr. B. E. Grote, Daniel B. Pinkert, and Roland K. Filippi, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him, and on his behalf and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and file any amendments to this registration statement on Form S-8 necessary or advisable to enable the registrant to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, which amendments may make such other changes in this registration statement as such attorney-in-fact deems appropriate, and any subsequent registration statement for the same offering that may be filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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Signature | | | Titles | | | Date | |
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| | | | | | | |
/s/ Peter D. Sutherland | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
P.D. Sutherland | | (Chairman) | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Browne of Madingley | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
The Lord Browne | | Group Chief Executive | | |
Of Madingley | | (Principal Executive Officer) | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Byron Grote | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Dr. B.E. Grote | | (Chief Financial Officer) | | |
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| | | | |
/s/ David C. Allen | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Dr. D. C. Allen | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ J. H. Bryan | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
J. H. Bryan | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ A. Burgmans | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
A. Burgmans | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Iain.C. Conn | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
I.C. Conn | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ E. B. Davis, Jr. | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
E. B. Davis, Jr. | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ D. Flint | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
D. J. Flint | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Dr. A. B. Hayward | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Dr. A. B. Hayward | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Dr. D. S. Julius | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Dr. D. S. Julius | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ J. A. Manzoni | | Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
J. A. Manzoni | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Dr. W. E. Massey | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Dr. W. E. Massey | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Tom McKillop | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Sir Tom McKillop | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ H. M. P. Miles | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
H. M. P. Miles | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Ian Prosser | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
Sir Ian Prosser | | (Deputy Chairman) | | |
| | | | |
/s/ M. H. Wilson | | Non-Executive Director | | February 2, 2006 |
M. H. Wilson | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Daniel B. Pinkert | | Authorized Representative | | February 2, 2006 |
Daniel B. Pinkert | | in the United States | | |
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SIGNATURE OF THE
BP EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the plan administrator has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto authorized, in the city of Warrenville, Illinois, on February 2, 2006.
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| BP EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN |
| PLAN ADMINISTRATOR |
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| By: | /s/ Ross J. Pillari |
| |
| |
| | Ross J. Pillari |
| | President, BP America Inc. |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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