Finance Act 1990

Corporation tax determinations

95 Determinations

(1) The following sections shall be inserted after section 41 of the Taxes Management Act 1970—

“Corporation tax determinations

41A Determination procedure

(1) If an inspector is satisfied that a return under section 11 of this Act affords correct and complete information concerning an amount which is—

(a) required to be given in the return, and

(b) determinable under this section,

• he shall determine the amount accordingly.

(2) If an inspector is not satisfied that a return under section 11 of this Act affords correct and complete information concerning an amount which is—

(a) required to be given in the return, and

(b) determinable under this section,

• he may determine the amount to the best of his judgment.

(3) If a company is required to deliver a return under section 11 of this Act and fails to deliver the return within the time limited by that section, an inspector may determine any amount which is—

(a) required to be given in the return, and

(b) determinable under this section,

to the best of his judgment.

(4) An amount shall be treated as determined under this section when the inspector gives notice in writing of the determination to the company which makes, or is required to make, the return.

(5) After an amount has been determined under this section, the determination shall not be altered except in accordance with the express provisions of the Taxes Acts.

(6) Section 31 of this Act (except subsection (3)) shall apply in relation to a determination under this section as it applies in relation to an assessment to tax.

(7) A determination under this section which has become final shall be conclusive for the purposes of the Corporation Tax Acts, except sections 36(3), 41B and 43A of this Act.

(8) The power conferred by subsection (2) or (3) above includes power to determine that an amount is nil.

(9) In this section references to an amount which is determinable under this section are references to—

(a) the amount of losses incurred in a trade in an accounting period, computed in accordance with section 393(7) of the principal Act; or

(b) the amount for an accounting period which is available for surrender by way of group relief under section 403(3) (capital allowances), (4) (expenses of management) or (7) (charges on income) of the principal Act.

41B Reduction of determination

(1) Where an inspector discovers that an amount determined under section 41A of this Act is or has become excessive, he may issue a direction that the amount determined shall be reduced by an amount specified in the direction.

(2) A direction under this section in relation to a determination shall be treated as issued when the inspector gives notice in writing of the direction to the company given notice of the determination under section 41A of this Act.

(3) Section 31 of this Act (except subsection (3)) shall apply in relation to a direction under this section as it applies in relation to an assessment to tax.

(4) Section 41A(7) of this Act shall not apply to a determination at any time when a direction under this section has been issued in relation to the determination and has not become final.

(5) After a direction under this section has become final, the determination to which it relates shall have effect as if the amount determined were reduced by the amount specified in the direction.

(6) The power conferred by subsection (1) above includes power to issue a direction which would have the effect of reducing the amount determined to nil.

(7) In its application to a determination in relation to which a direction under this section has already been issued, subsection (1) above shall have effect with the insertion after the word “Act” of the words “, as reduced by the amount specified in any previous direction under this section in relation to the determination,”.

41C Time limits

(1) A determination of an amount may be made under section 41A of this Act at any time not later than 6 years from the end of the period to which the amount relates.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, a direction in relation to a determination may be issued under section 41B of this Act at any time not later than 6 years from the end of the period to which the determination relates.

(3) A direction in relation to a determination may be issued under section 41B of this Act at any time not later than 20 years from the end of the period to which the determination relates if the excess by virtue of which the power conferred by that section is exercisable is attributable to the fraudulent or negligent conduct of—

(a) the company given notice of the determination under section 41A of this Act, or

(b) a person acting on its behalf.”

(2) This section applies in relation to accounting periods ending after the day appointed for the purposes of section 10 of the Taxes Act 1988 (pay and file).

96 Consequential group relief adjustments

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a determination of an amount for an accounting period of a company (“the surrendering company”) is made under section 41A of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970, and

(b) immediately after the determination, or a direction relating to it under section 41B of that Act, becomes final, the amount of relief of any description which the surrendering company consents to surrender by way of group relief for the period (“the surrendered amount”) exceeds the amount which, in relation to relief of that description, is the relevant amount for the period.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, the amount which is, at any time, the relevant amount in relation to relief of any description for an accounting period of a company is—

(a) the amount of relief of that description available to the company for surrender by way of group relief for the period, less

(b) so much, if any, of that amount as represents relief given in an assessment on the surrendering company which has become final and conclusive.

(3) The surrendering company shall make whatever adjustment of the surrendered amount is necessary in consequence of the determination or direction (“the necessary adjustment”) by reducing or withdrawing consent to surrender before the end of 30 days from the date on which the determination or direction becomes final.

(4) If the surrendering company fails to make the necessary adjustment within the period mentioned in subsection (3) above, it shall be made—

(a) except where paragraph (b) below applies, in such manner as may be specified by the inspector by notice in writing to the surrendering company and to the company or, if more than one, each company whose claim for group relief is affected by the adjustment, or

(b) where the surrendering company gives notice in writing to the inspector within the relevant period, in such manner as may be specified in the notice given by the surrendering company.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)(b) above the relevant period is the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which notice under subsection (4)(a) above is given to the surrendering company.

(6) The power to make an assessment under section 412(3) of the Taxes Act 1988 (power to assess where inspector discovers that group relief which has been given is or has become excessive) shall also be exercisable where group relief which has been given becomes excessive in consequence of the making of the necessary adjustment.

(7) Subsection (8) below applies where any tax to which a company (“the chargeable company”) becomes liable in consequence of the making of the necessary adjustment has been assessed on the company and is unpaid at the end of 6 months from the date on which the assessment becomes final and conclusive (“the relevant date”).

(8) Any other company which has obtained group relief by virtue of a surrender by the surrendering company for the accounting period to which the necessary adjustment relates may, within 2 years from the relevant date, be assessed and charged (in the name of the chargeable company) to an amount not exceeding the lesser of—

(a) the amount of the unpaid tax, and

(b) the amount of tax which the other company saves by virtue of the surrender.

(9) A company paying an amount of tax under subsection (8) above shall be entitled to recover from the chargeable company a sum equal to that amount together with any interest on that amount which it has paid under section 87A of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970.

(10) An assessment by virtue of subsection (6) above shall not be out of time if made within one year from the date on which the determination or direction giving rise to the making of the necessary adjustment becomes final.

(11) In subsection (1)(b) above, the reference to the amount of relief of any description which the surrendering company consents to surrender by way of group relief for the period includes a reference to the amount of relief of that description which the surrendering company consents to surrender for any assumed accounting period under section 409 of the Taxes Act 1988 (companies joining or leaving group or consortium) which is comprised in the period.

(12) In section 87A of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 (interest on overdue corporation tax etc.) in subsection (3) after the words “1970” there shall be inserted the words “, section 96(8) of the Finance Act 1990”.