Ann: Share Purchase Plan , page-30

GDP22
The reason that the Share Purchase Plan is not open to you in the UK is that often a separate prospectus has to be issued for foreign countries. There is always a clause excluding overseas shareholders no matter who the company are. If there is a wide shareholder base spread over many countries, and those countries require a prospectus issued the cost would be huge.
When a company is listed in another country a separate prospectus is issued for those shareholders.
This also applies to overseas based directors. You will find that they purchase on market often in different amounts than the prospectus stipulates, but within the range quoted. In this case $3,000 to $15,000.
Last year John Leggate a European based director purchased on market. He paid .053 cents where the issue was at .05 cents.