Finance Act 1996

6 After section 28A there shall be inserted the following sections—

“28AA Amendment of return of profits made for wrong period

(1) Where an officer of the Board gives notice under section 11AB(1) of this Act to a company of his intention to enquire into the period for which a return should have been made, the officer’s enquiries shall be treated as completed at such time as he by notice—

(a) informs the company that he has completed his enquiries; and

(b) states his conclusions on the subject of his enquiries.

(2) Subsections (3) and (4) below apply where the officer in the conclusions stated under subsection (1) above designates a period, in accordance with subsections (6) to (8) below, as the accounting period for which the return should have been made.

(3) At any time in the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which the officer’s enquiries are completed, the company may amend the return for the purpose of making it a return appropriate to the designated period.

(4) At any time in the period of 30 days beginning immediately after the period mentioned in subsection (3) above, the officer may by notice to the company amend the return for the purpose of making it a return appropriate to the designated period.

(5) The power under subsections (3) and (4) above to amend a return includes the power to amend a self-assessment so as to make clear that it is a self-assessment for the designated period.

(6) If there is only one accounting period ending in or at the end of the period specified in the section 11 notice, the only period which the officer may designate is that period.

(7) If there is more than one accounting period ending in or at the end of the period specified in the section 11 notice, the only period which the officer may designate is the earliest of those accounting periods for which no return has been delivered.

(8) In designating a period, the officer must specify the dates on which the period begins and ends.

28AB Provisions supplementary to section 28AA

(1) On an application made by the company, the Commissioners shall direct the officer to give a notice under section 28AA(1) of this Act within a period specified in the direction, unless they are satisfied that the officer has reasonable grounds for not giving such a notice.

(2) Proceedings under subsection (1) above shall be heard and determined in the same way as an appeal.

(3) An appeal may be brought against an amendment made under section 28AA(4) of this Act within the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which the notice of the amendment was issued.

(4) The provisions of this Act relating to appeals shall have effect in relation to an appeal under subsection (3) above as they have effect in relation to an appeal against an assessment to tax.

(5) Subsection (6) below applies where—

(a) a return is delivered in response to a section 11 notice;

(b) following a statement of conclusions under section 28AA of this Act, a period is finally determined to be the accounting period for which the return should have been made;

(c) the effect of the determination is that there is a period (“a further period”) which—

(i) before the determination was not an accounting period ending in or at the end of the period specified in the section 11 notice, and

(ii) as a result of the determination, becomes a period so ending;

and

(d) there is no return which can be amended under section 28AA of this Act so as to become a return for that further period.

(6) Where this subsection applies, the section 11 notice shall be taken to require a return for the further period before the postponed final day.

(7) The postponed final day is whichever is the later of—

(a) the final day determined under section 11(4) of this Act; and

(b) the last day of the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which the accounting period for the return mentioned in subsection (5)(a) above is finally determined.

(8) In relation to any return for the further period the provisions of this Act shall have effect as if any reference to the filing date in relation to that return were a reference to the postponed final day.”