15Exception for existing ownership

15 Exception for existing ownership Section 14 does not apply to a company that— (a) immediately before 16 November 2004, did not own a pharmacy business or owned less than 6 pharmacy businesses and, after that date, acquired ownership of any pharmacy business so that the total number of pharmacy businesses owned by the company at any one time does not exceed 6; or (b) immediately before 16 November 2004, owned 6 or more pharmacy businesses and on or after 17 November 2008, acquired ownership of any additional pharmacy business so that the total number of pharmacy businesses owned by the company at any one time does not exceed 30% more than the number of pharmacy businesses that the company owned immediately before 17 November 2008. 16 Exception for amalgamations on or after 16 November 2004 and before 17 November 2008 Section 14 does not apply to a company referred to in section 5(1)(e) that was formed by amalgamation on or after 16 November 2004 and before 17 November 2008 if the number of pharmacy businesses the company owns at any one time does not exceed the total of the number of pharmacy businesses referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) that were owned individually by each of the companies that were amalgamated to form the company— (a) in the case of a company that formed part of the amalgamation and, immediately before 16 November 2004, did not own a pharmacy business or owned less than 6 pharmacy businesses—6 pharmacy businesses; and (b) in the case of any other company that formed part of the amalgamation—30% more than the number of pharmacy businesses that the company owned immediately before 16 November 2004. 17 Exception for amalgamation on or after 17 November 2008 (1) Section 14 does not apply to a company referred to in section 5(1)(e) that was formed by amalgamation on or after 17 November 2008 if the number of pharmacy businesses the amalgamated company owns at any one time does not exceed— (a) in the case of the amalgamated company being formed only by companies that, immediately before 16 November 2004, did not own a pharmacy business or owned less than 6 pharmacy businesses—6 pharmacy businesses; or (b) in the case of the amalgamated company being formed by at least one company that, immediately before 16 November 2004, owned 6 or more pharmacy businesses—30% more than the number of pharmacy businesses that the largest amalgamating company owned immediately before 17 November 2008. (2) In this section ***largest amalgamating company*** means a company that— (a) was amalgamated with other companies to form a company; and (b) owned more pharmacy businesses than any other company that was amalgamated to form the company.