(1)Where an amount due to a person from a government department in connection with a business carried on by him remains unpaid for any period as a result of industrial action taken by civil servants after 8th March 1981 and that person withholds any tax—
(a)which became due and payable by him after that date and before 6th April 1982 ; and
(b)on which interest would, apart from this section, be chargeable under section 86 or 87 of the Taxes Management Act 1970,
he may, for that period and for seven days after the end of it, claim exemption from interest under those sections on a corresponding amount of that tax less any reduction under subsection (2) below.
(2)Where for the whole or any part of the period mentioned in subsection (1) above the person in question withholds any amount for which he is accountable to the collector after the said 8th March
(a)in respect of income tax which he was liable to deduct in pursuance of section 204 of the Taxes Act (pay as you earn); or
(b)in respect of Class 1 contributions under the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975 or the [1975 c. 15.] Social Security (Northern Ireland) Act 1975,
the amount of tax in respect of which exemption may be claimed under that subsection for that period or that part of it shall be reduced by the amount withheld by him as aforesaid.
(3)The reference in subsection (1) above to an amount due to a person from a government department in connection with a business carried on by him is to any value added tax due to him from the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, to any grant or subsidy due to him from any other government department in respect of such a business and to any sum due to him from a government department under a contract entered into by him in the course of a business ; and for the purposes of this subsection " business " includes any trade, profession or vocation.
(4)Any claim under this section shall be made to the Board.