Section 127.
1For section 4 of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 (appointment of Special Commissioners) there shall be substituted—
(1)The Lord Chancellor shall, after consultation with the Lord Advocate, appoint such persons as he thinks fit as " Commissioners for the special purposes of the Income Tax Acts" (in the Taxes Acts referred to as " Special Commissioners ") and shall designate one of the Special Commissioners as the Presiding Special Commissioner.
(2)No person shall be appointed under subsection (1) above unless he is a barrister, advocate or solicitor of not less than ten years' standing.
(3)If the Presiding Special Commissioner is temporarily absent or unable to act or there is a vacancy in his office, the Lord Chancellor may designate another Special Commissioner to act as deputy Presiding Special Commissioner and the Commissioner so designated shall, when so acting, have all the functions of the Presiding Special Commissioner.
(4)The Lord Chancellor may, if he thinks fit, and after consultation with the Lord Advocate, remove a Special Commissioner from office on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour.
(5)By virtue of their appointment the Special Commissioners shall have authority to execute such powers, and to perform such duties, as are assigned to them by any enactment
(6)Such sums shall be allowed to Special Commissioners in respect of salary and incidental expenses and such pensions (including allowances and gratuities) shall be paid to, or in respect of, them as the Lord Chancellor may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine.
(7)Officers and staff may be appointed under section 27 of the [1971 c. 23.] Courts Act 1971 (court staff) for carrying out the administrative work of the Special Commissioners.
(1)If it appears to the Lord Chancellor expedient to do so in order to facilitate the performance of any functions of the Special Commissioners, he may, after consultation with the Lord Advocate, appoint a person to be a deputy Special Commissioner during such period or on such occasions as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit.
(2)A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a deputy Special Commissioner unless he is qualified for appointment as a Special Commissioner.
(3)A deputy Special Commissioner while acting under this section shall have all the jurisdiction and functions of a Special Commissioner and any reference to a Special Commissioner in the following provisions of this Act or in any other enactment or any instrument made under any enactment (whenever passed or made) shall include a reference to a deputy Special Commissioner.
(4)The duty under section 6(1) below shall only apply to a deputy Special Commissioner on his first appointment to that office.
(5)Notwithstanding the expiry of any period for which a person is appointed under this section, he may continue to act under the appointment for the purpose of continuing to deal with any matter with winch he was concerned during that period.
(6)The Lord Chancellor may pay to any person appointed under this section such remuneration and allowances as he may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine.”
2(1)Section 45 of the Act of 1970 (quorum of Special Commissioners) shall be amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (1), for the word " may " there shall be substituted the words " shall, except in any case where the Presiding Special Commissioner directs otherwise, " and the words "or any two or more Special Commissioners " shall be omitted.
(3)In subsection (3), after the word "brought" there shall be inserted the words " , in accordance with a direction of the Presiding Special Commissioner ".
(4)Subsections (2) and (4) to (6) shall be omitted.
3(1)In section 31 of the Act of 1970 (appeals against assessments) the following subsections shall be inserted after subsection (5)—
“(5A)An election under subsection (4) above shall be disregarded if—
(a)the appellant and the inspector or other officer of the Board agree in writing, at any time before the determination of the appeal, that it is to be disregarded ; or
(b)the General Commissioners have given a direction under subsection (5C) below and have not revoked it.
(5B)At any time before the determination of an appeal in respect of which an election has been made under subsection (4) above, the inspector or other officer of the Board after giving notice to the appellant may refer the election to the General Commissioners.
(5C)On any such reference the Commissioners shall, unless they are satisfied that the appellant has arguments to present or evidence to adduce on the merits of the appeal, direct that the election be disregarded.
(5D)If, at any time after the giving of a direction under subsection (5C) above (but before the determination of the appeal) the General Commissioners are satisfied that the appellant has arguments to present or evidence to adduce on the merits of the appeal, they shall revoke the direction.
(5E)Any decision to give a direction under subsection (5C) above or revoke such a direction under subsection (5D) above shall be final.”.
(2)In Schedule 2 to the Act of 1970 (appeals against decisions on claims), in paragraph 1, the following sub-paragraphs shall be inserted after sub-paragraph (1)—
“(1A)An election under sub-paragraph (1) above shall be disregarded if—
(a)the appellant and the inspector or other officer of the Board agree in writing, at any time before the determination of the appeal, that it is to be disregarded ; or
(b)the General Commissioners have given a direction under sub-paragraph (1C) below and have not revoked it.
(1B)At any time before the determination of an appeal in respect of which an election has been made under sub-paragraph (1) above, the inspector or other officer of the Board after giving notice to the appellant may refer the election to the General Commissioners.
(1C)On any such reference the Commissioners shall, unless they are satisfied that the appellant has arguments to present or evidence to adduce on the merits of the appeal, direct that the election be disregarded.
(1D)If, at any time after the giving of a direction under sub-paragraph (1C) above (but before the determination of the appeal) the General Commissioners are satisfied that the appellant has arguments to present or evidence to adduce on the merits of the appeal, they shall revoke the direction.
(1E)Any decision to give a direction under sub-paragraph (1C) or revoke such a direction under sub-paragraph (1D) above shall be final.”.
4After section 57A of the Act of 1970 there shall be inserted the following section—
(1)The Lord Chancellor may, with the consent of the Lord Advocate, make rules—
(a)as to the procedure of the Special Commissioners and the procedure in connection with the bringing of matters before them ;
(b)as to the time within which matters may be brought before the Special Commissioners ; and
(c)providing for appeals which have been heard by the Special Commissioners in the absence of the appellant to be reheard,
in such circumstances and subject to such conditions, as the rules may prescribe.
(2)Rules under this section may make such consequential provision (including the amendment of any enactment or instrument made under any enactment) as the Lord Chancellor considers necessary.
(3)Rules under this section shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.”
5In section 44 of the Act of 1970 (jurisdiction of General Commissioners) the following subsection shall be inserted after subsection (3)—
“(3A)Where in any case (including one in which proceedings may be brought as mentioned in subsection (3) above)—
(a)an appeal has been brought before the General Commissioners ; and
(b)those Commissioners consider that, because of the complexity of the appeal or the length of time likely to be required for hearing it, the appeal should be brought before the Special Commissioners ;
the General Commissioners may, with the agreement of the Special Commissioners, and having considered any representations made to them by the parties, arrange for the transfer of the proceedings to the Special Commissioners.”.
6In section 56(3) of the Act of 1970 and paragraph 10(2) of Schedule 4 to the [1975 c. 7.] Finance Act 1975 (fee for statement of case for opinion of High Court) for " £1 " there shall be substituted " £25 ".
7In the Act of 1970, the following section shall be inserted after section 56 (statement of case for opinion of High Court)—
(1)The Lord Chancellor may by order provide that—
(a)in such classes of appeal in England and Wales as may be prescribed by the order; and
(b)subject to the consent of the parties and to such other conditions as may be so prescribed ;
a case stated by the Special Commissioners under section 56 above, for the opinion of the High Court, shall be referred to the Court of Appeal.
(2)An order under this section—
(a)may provide that section 56 above shall have effect, in relation to any appeal to which the order applies, with such modifications as may be specified in the order'; and
(b)shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.”.
8Nothing in this Schedule shall affect the appointment of any person who, immediately before the passing of this Act, held office as a Special Commissioner.