Finance Act 2000

Part XII Groups, mergers and related matters

Meaning of “group” and “member of group”

116 In this Schedule a “group” means—

(a) all the companies controlled by an individual, or

(b) where a company that is not controlled by another person controls one or more other companies, that company and all the companies controlled by it.

References to membership of a group shall be construed accordingly.

Companies treated as controlled by an individual

117 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule an individual is treated as controlling any company that is controlled—

(a) by him alone, or

(b) by him together with one or more associates of his, or

(c) subject to sub-paragraph (2), by any associate of his, with or without any other such associates.

(2) An individual shall not be treated as controlling a company by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(c) if he does not have any significant influence over the affairs of the company in question.

Meaning of “control”

118 (1) In this Schedule “control”, in relation to a company, means the power of a person to secure—

(a) by means of the holding of shares or the possession of voting power in or in relation to that or any other company, or

(b) by virtue of any powers conferred by the articles of association or other document regulating that or any other company,

that the affairs of the company are conducted in accordance with his wishes.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph there shall be attributed to a person—

(a) any rights or powers which another person holds on his behalf or may be required to exercise at his direction or on his behalf,

(b) any rights or powers—

(i) of a company of which he has, or he and his associates have, control, or

(ii) of any two or more such companies, and

(c) any rights or powers of any associate of his, or of any two or more associates of his.

(3) The references in paragraphs (b) and (c) of sub-paragraph (2) to rights or powers of a company or associate include rights or powers attributed to the company or associate under paragraph (a) of that sub-paragraph.

(4) The references in paragraphs (b) and (c) of sub-paragraph (2) to rights or powers of an associate do not include rights or powers attributed to the associate under those paragraphs.

Company not to be treated as member of more than one group

119 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule a company may not, at the same time, be a member—

(a) of a tonnage tax group and a qualifying non-tonnage tax group, or

(b) of more than one tonnage tax group.

(2) If the rules in paragraphs 116 to 118 would produce that result in relation to a company, the following rules apply.

(3) As between a tonnage tax group and a qualifying non-tonnage tax group, the company shall be treated as a member of the tonnage tax group and not of the non-tonnage tax group.

(4) As between two tonnage tax groups, the company shall be treated as a member of the group whose tonnage tax election was made first and not of the other tonnage tax group.

(5) In the case of group elections made at the same time, the company may choose which election it joins in.

It is treated for the purposes of this Schedule as a member of the group in respect of which that election is made and not of any other tonnage tax group.

Arrangements for dealing with group matters

120 (1) The Inland Revenue may enter into arrangements with the qualifying companies in a group for one of those companies to deal on behalf of the group in relation to matters arising under this Schedule that may conveniently be dealt with on a group basis.

(2) Any such arrangements—

(a) may make provision in relation to cases where companies become or cease to be members of a group;

(b) may make provision for or in connection with the termination of the arrangements; and

(c) may make such supplementary, incidental, consequential or transitional provision as is necessary or expedient for the purposes of the arrangements.

(3) Any such arrangements do not affect—

(a) any requirement under this Schedule that an election be made jointly by all the qualifying companies in the group; or

(b) any liability under this Schedule or any other provision of the Tax Acts of a company to which the arrangements relate.

(4) The Secretary of State may also make such arrangements in relation to matters arising under this Schedule in relation to which he has functions.

Meaning of “merger” and “demerger”

121 (1) In this Schedule—

• “merger” means a transaction by which one or more companies become members of a group, and

• “demerger” means a transaction by which one or more companies cease to be members of a group.

(2) References to a merger to which a group is a party include any merger affecting a member of the group.

Merger: between tonnage tax groups or companies

122 (1) This paragraph applies where there is a merger—

(a) between two or more tonnage tax groups,

(b) between one or more tonnage tax groups and one or more tonnage tax companies, or

(c) between two or more tonnage tax companies.

(2) In all those cases the group resulting from the merger is a tonnage tax group as if a group election had been made.

(3) That deemed election continues in force, subject to the provisions of this Schedule—

(a) if there is a dominant party to the merger, until that party’s tonnage tax election would have expired;

(b) if there is no dominant party, until whichever of the existing tonnage tax elections had the longest period left to run would have expired.

Merger: tonnage tax group or company and qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company

123 (1) This paragraph applies where there is a merger between a tonnage tax group or company (“T”) and a qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company (“QNT”).

(2) If T is the dominant party, the group resulting from the merger is a tonnage tax group as if a group election had been made.

That deemed election continues in force, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, until T’s election would have expired.

(3) If QNT is the dominant party, T’s tonnage tax election ceases to be in force as from the date of the merger.

(4) If there is no dominant party—

(a) the group resulting from the merger may elect that T shall be treated as the dominant party (with the result that sub-paragraph (2) applies), and

(b) if it does not do so, T’s tonnage tax election ceases to be in force as from the date of the merger.

(5) Any election under sub-paragraph (4)(a) must be made—

(a) jointly by all the qualifying companies in the group resulting from the merger,

(b) by notice to the Inland Revenue,

(c) within twelve months of the merger.

Merger: tonnage tax group or company and non-qualifying group or company

124 (1) This paragraph applies where there is a merger between a tonnage tax group or company (“T”) and a non-qualifying group or company.

(2) In that case the group resulting from the merger is a tonnage tax group by virtue of T’s election.

Merger: non-qualifying group or company and qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company

125 (1) This paragraph applies where there is a merger between a non-qualifying group or company (“NQ”) and a qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company.

(2) In that case, if NQ is the dominant party the group resulting from the merger may make a tonnage tax election having effect as from the date of the merger.

(3) Any such election must be made—

(a) jointly by all the qualifying companies in the group resulting from the merger,

(b) by notice to the Inland Revenue,

(c) within twelve months of the merger.

Meaning of “dominant party” in relation to merger

126 (1) This paragraph explains what is meant by the references in this Schedule to the “dominant party” in relation to a merger.

(2) The “dominant party” is determined as follows—

(a) if the turnover generated by the relevant activities of one of the parties to the merger is more than twice that of the other, that one is the dominant party;

(b) if not, there is no dominant party.

(3) The relevant activities of a party to a merger are—

(a) for the purposes of—

(i) paragraph 122 (merger between tonnage tax groups or companies), or

(ii) paragraph 123 (merger between tonnage tax group or company and qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company),

the tonnage tax activities of that party;

(b) for the purposes of paragraph 125 (merger between non-qualifying group or company and qualifying non-tonnage tax group or company), all the activities of that party.

(4) The basis on which (and the periods by reference to which) the turnover from relevant activities is to be determined for the purposes of those paragraphs shall be such as may be agreed between the parties and the Inland Revenue.

(5) In default of such agreement—

(a) the Inland Revenue shall decide, and

(b) an appeal lies to the Special Commissioners against their decision.

(6) Notice of appeal must be given to the Inland Revenue within 30 days of their decision being notified to the parties.

Demerger: single company

127 (1) This paragraph applies where a tonnage tax company ceases to be a member of a tonnage tax group and does not become a member of another group.

(2) In that case—

(a) the company in question remains a tonnage tax company as if a single company election had been made, and

(b) that deemed election continues in force, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, until the group election would have expired.

(3) If two or more members of the previous group remain, and any of them is a qualifying company, the group consisting of those companies is a tonnage tax group by virtue of the previous group election.

Demerger: group

128 (1) This paragraph applies where a tonnage tax group splits into two or more groups.

(2) In that case each new group that contains a qualifying company that was a tonnage tax company before the demerger is a tonnage tax group as if a group election had been made.

(3) That deemed election continues in force, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, until the group election would have expired.

Duty to notify Inland Revenue of group changes

129 (1) A tonnage tax company that becomes or ceases to be a member of a group, or of a particular group, must give notice to the Inland Revenue of that fact.

(2) The notice must be given within the period of twelve months beginning with the date on which the company became or ceased to be a member of the group.

(3) In the second column of the Table in section 98 of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 (penalties for failure to provide information etc.), after the final entry insert—

“Paragraph 129 of Schedule 22 to the Finance Act 2000.”.