Finance Act 1998

Section 108.

SCHEDULE 16 Transfer pricing etc: new regime

The Schedule inserted after Schedule 28A to the Taxes Act 1988 is as follows:—

“SCHEDULE 28AA Provision not at arm’s length

Basic rule on transfer pricing etc.

1 (1) This Schedule applies where—

(a) provision (“the actual provision”) has been made or imposed as between any two persons (“the affected persons”) by means of a transaction or series of transactions, and

(b) at the time of the making or imposition of the actual provision—

(i) one of the affected persons was directly or indirectly participating in the management, control or capital of the other; or

(ii) the same person or persons was or were directly or indirectly participating in the management, control or capital of each of the affected persons.

(2) Subject to paragraphs 8, 10 and 13 below, if the actual provision—

(a) differs from the provision (“the arm”s length provision') which would have been made as between independent enterprises, and

(b) confers a potential advantage in relation to United Kingdom taxation on one of the affected persons, or (whether or not the same advantage) on each of them,

the profits and losses of the potentially advantaged person or, as the case may be, of each of the potentially advantaged persons shall be computed for tax purposes as if the arm’s length provision had been made or imposed instead of the actual provision.

(3) For the purposes of this Schedule the cases in which provision made or imposed as between any two persons is to be taken to differ from the provision that would have been made as between independent enterprises shall include the case in which provision is made or imposed as between any two persons but no provision would have been made as between independent enterprises; and references in this Schedule to the arm’s length provision shall be construed accordingly.

Principles for construing rules in accordance with OECD principles

2 (1) This Schedule shall be construed (subject to paragraphs 8 to 11 below) in such manner as best secures consistency between—

(a) the effect given to paragraph 1 above; and

(b) the effect which, in accordance with the transfer pricing guidelines, is to be given, in cases where double taxation arrangements incorporate the whole or any part of the OECD model, to so much of the arrangements as does so.

(2) In this paragraph “the OECD model” means—

(a) the rules which, at the passing of this Act, were contained in Article 9 of the Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; or

(b) any rules in the same or equivalent terms.

(3) In this paragraph “the transfer pricing guidelines” means—

(a) all the documents published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, at any time before 1st May 1998, as part of their Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations; and

(b) such documents published by that Organisation on or after that date as may for the purposes of this Schedule be designated, by an order made by the Treasury, as comprised in the transfer pricing guidelines.

Meaning of “transaction” and “series of transactions”

3 (1) In this Schedule “transaction” includes arrangements, understandings and mutual practices (whether or not they are, or are intended to be, legally enforceable).

(2) References in this Schedule to a series of transactions include references to a number of transactions each entered into (whether or not one after the other) in pursuance of, or in relation to, the same arrangement.

(3) A series of transactions shall not be prevented by reason only of one or more of the matters mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) below from being regarded for the purposes of this Schedule as a series of transactions by means of which provision has been made or imposed as between any two persons.

(4) Those matters are—

(a) that there is no transaction in the series to which both those persons are parties;

(b) that the parties to any arrangement in pursuance of which the transactions in the series are entered into do not include one or both of those persons; and

(c) that there is one or more transactions in the series to which neither of those persons is a party.

(5) In this paragraph, “arrangement” means any scheme or arrangement of any kind (whether or not it is, or is intended to be, legally enforceable).

Participation in the management, control or capital of a person

4 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule a person is directly participating in the management, control or capital of another person at a particular time if, and only if, that other person is at that time—

(a) a body corporate or a partnership; and

(b) controlled by the first person.

(2) For the purposes of this Schedule a person (“the potential participant”) is indirectly participating in the management, control or capital of another person at a particular time if, and only if—

(a) he would be taken to be directly so participating at that time if the rights and powers attributed to him included all the rights and powers mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) below that are not already attributed to him for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) above; or

(b) he is, at that time, one of a number of major participants in that other person’s enterprise.

(3) The rights and powers referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(a) above are—

(a) rights and powers which the potential participant is entitled to acquire at a future date or which he will, at a future date, become entitled to acquire;

(b) rights and powers of persons other than the potential participant to the extent that they are rights or powers falling within sub-paragraph (4) below;

(c) rights and powers of any person with whom the potential participant is connected; and

(d) rights and powers which for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a) above would be attributed to a person with whom the potential participant is connected if that connected person were himself the potential participant.

(4) Rights and powers fall within this sub-paragraph to the extent that they—

(a) are required, or may be required, to be exercised in any one or more of the following ways, that is to say—

(i) on behalf of the potential participant;

(ii) under the direction of the potential participant; or

(iii) for the benefit of the potential participant;

and

(b) are not confined, in a case where a loan has been made by one person to another, to rights and powers conferred in relation to property of the borrower by the terms of any security relating to the loan.

(5) In sub-paragraphs (3)(b) to (d) and (4) above, the references to a person’s rights and powers include references to any rights or powers which he either—

(a) is entitled to acquire at a future date, or

(b) will, at a future date, become entitled to acquire.

(6) In paragraph (d) of sub-paragraph (3) above, the reference to rights and powers which would be attributed to a connected person if he were the potential participant includes a reference to rights and powers which, by applying that paragraph wherever one person is connected with another, would be so attributed to him through a number of persons each of whom is connected with at least one of the others.

(7) For the purposes of this paragraph a person (“the potential major participant”) is a major participant in another person’s enterprise at a particular time if at that time—

(a) that other person (“the subordinate”) is a body corporate or partnership; and

(b) the 40 per cent. test is satisfied in the case of each of two persons who, taken together, control the subordinate and of whom one is the potential major participant.

(8) For the purposes of this paragraph the 40 per cent. test is satisfied in the case of each of two persons wherever each of them has interests, rights and powers representing at least 40 per cent. of the holdings, rights and powers in respect of which the pair of them fall to be taken as controlling the subordinate.

(9) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) the question whether a person is controlled by any two or more persons taken together, and

(b) any question whether the 40 per cent. test is satisfied in the case of a person who is one of two persons,

shall be determined after attributing to each of the persons all the rights and powers attributed to a potential participant for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a) above.

(10) References in this paragraph—

(a) to rights and powers of a person, or

(b) to rights and powers which a person is or will become entitled to acquire,

include references to rights or powers which are exercisable by that person, or (when acquired by that person) will be exercisable, only jointly with one or more other persons.

(11) For the purposes of this paragraph two persons are connected with each other if—

(a) one of them is an individual and the other is his spouse, a relative of his or of his spouse, or the spouse of such a relative; or

(b) one of them is a trustee of a settlement and the other is—

(i) a person who in relation to that settlement is a settlor; or

(ii) a person who is connected with a person falling within sub-paragraph (i) above.

(12) In sub-paragraph (11) above—

• “relative” means brother, sister, ancestor or lineal descendant; and

• “settlement” and “settlor” have the same meanings as in Chapter IA of Part XV.

Advantage in relation to United Kingdom taxation

5 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule (but subject to sub-paragraph (2) below) the actual provision confers a potential advantage on a person in relation to United Kingdom taxation wherever, disregarding this Schedule, the effect of making or imposing the actual provision, instead of the arm’s length provision, would be one or both of the following, that is to say—

(a) that a smaller amount (which may be nil) would be taken for tax purposes to be the amount of that person’s profits for any chargeable period; or

(b) that a larger amount (or, if there would not otherwise have been losses, any amount of more than nil) would be taken for tax purposes to be the amount for any chargeable period of any losses of that person.

(2) Subject to paragraph 11(2) below, the actual provision shall not be taken for the purposes of this Schedule to confer a potential advantage in relation to United Kingdom taxation on either of the persons as between whom it is made or imposed if—

(a) the three conditions set out in sub-paragraphs (3) to (5) below are all satisfied in the case of each of those two persons; and

(b) the further condition set out in sub-paragraph (6) below is satisfied in the case of each of those persons who is an insurance company.

(3) The first condition is satisfied in the case of any person if—

(a) that person is within the charge to income tax or corporation tax in respect of profits arising from the relevant activities;

(b) that person is not entitled to any exemption from income tax or corporation tax in respect of, or of a part of, the income or profits arising from the relevant activities in respect of which he is within that charge; and

(c) where that person is within the charge to income tax in respect of profits arising from those activities, he is resident in the United Kingdom in the chargeable periods in which he is so within that charge.

(4) The second condition is satisfied in the case of any person if he is neither—

(a) a person with an entitlement, in pursuance of any double taxation arrangements or under section 790(1), to be given credit in any chargeable period for any foreign tax on or in respect of profits arising from the relevant activities; nor

(b) a person who would have such an entitlement in any such period if there were any such profits or if they exceeded a certain amount.

(5) The third condition is satisfied in the case of any person if the amounts taken into account in computing the profits or losses arising from the relevant activities to that person in any chargeable period in which he is within the charge to income tax or corporation tax in respect of profits arising from those activities do not include any income the amount of which is reduced in accordance with section 811(1) (deduction for foreign tax where no credit allowable).

(6) The further condition is satisfied in the case of an insurance company if the profits arising from the relevant activities in respect of which the company is within the charge to corporation tax do not include—

(a) any profits in the computation of which acquisition expenses have been brought into account in accordance with section 86 of the [1989 c. 26.] Finance Act 1989 (expenses of acquiring insurance business); or

(b) any profits in relation to which the rate of corporation tax is fixed by section 88 or 88A of that Act (lower rate on certain profits of insurance companies).

Elimination of double counting

6 (1) This paragraph applies where—

(a) only one of the affected persons (“the advantaged person”) is a person on whom a potential advantage in relation to United Kingdom taxation is conferred by the actual provision; but

(b) the other affected person (“the disadvantaged person”) is a person in relation to whom the condition set out in sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 5 above either—

(i) is satisfied, or

(ii) were any such exemption as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of that sub-paragraph to be disregarded, would be satisfied.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) to (6) and paragraph 7 below, on the making of a claim by the disadvantaged person for the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) the disadvantaged person shall be entitled to have his profits and losses computed for tax purposes as if the arm’s length provision had been made or imposed instead of the actual provision; and

(b) notwithstanding any limit in the Tax Acts on the time within which any adjustment may be made, all such adjustments shall be made in his case as may be required to give effect to the assumption that the arm’s length provision was made or imposed instead of the actual provision.

(3) A claim made by the disadvantaged person for the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) shall not be made unless a computation has been made in the case of the advantaged person on the basis that the arm’s length provision was made or imposed instead of the actual provision; and

(b) must be consistent with the computation made on that basis in the case of the advantaged person.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) above a computation shall be taken to have been made in the case of the advantaged person on the basis that the arm’s length provision was made or imposed instead of the actual provision if, and only if—

(a) the computations made for the purposes of any return by the advantaged person have been made on that basis by virtue of this Schedule; or

(b) a relevant notice given to the advantaged person takes account of a determination in pursuance of this Schedule of an amount falling to be brought into account for tax purposes on that basis.

(5) Subject to section 111(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1998 (which provides for the extension of the period for making a claim), a claim for the purposes of this paragraph shall not be made except within one of the following periods—

(a) in a case where a return has been made by the advantaged person on the basis mentioned in sub-paragraph (3)(a) above, the period of two years beginning with the day of the making of the return; and

(b) in any case where a relevant notice taking account of such a determination as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (4)(b) above has been given to the advantaged person, the period of two years beginning with the day on which that notice was given.

(6) Subject to section 111(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1998, where—

(a) a claim for the purposes of this paragraph is made by the disadvantaged person in relation to a return made on the basis mentioned in sub-paragraph (3)(a) above, and

(b) a relevant notice taking account of such a determination as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (4)(b) above is subsequently given to the advantaged person,

the disadvantaged person shall be entitled, within the period mentioned in sub-paragraph (5)(b) above, to make any such amendment of the claim as may be appropriate in consequence of the determination contained in that notice.

(7) In this paragraph—

• “relevant notice” means—

  (a)

  a notice under section 28A(5) or 28B(5) of the Management Act stating the conclusions of an officer of the Board in relation to any self-assessment, partnership statement, claim or election;

  (b)

  a closure notice under paragraph 32 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 in relation to an enquiry into a company tax return;

  (c)

  a notice of an assessment under section 29 of the Management Act;

  (d)

  a notice of any discovery assessment or discovery determination under paragraph 41 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 (including any notice of an assessment by virtue of paragraph 52 of that Schedule);

  (e)

  a notice under section 30B(1) of the Management Act amending a partnership statement;

• “return” means any return required to be made under the Management Act or Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 for income tax or corporation tax purposes or any voluntary amendment of such a return; and

• “voluntary amendment”, in relation to a return, means any amendment in accordance with the Management Act or Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998, other than one made in response to the giving of a relevant notice.

Adjustment of disadvantaged person’s double taxation relief

7 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (4) below, where—

(a) a claim is made for the purposes of paragraph 6 above, and

(b) the disadvantaged person is entitled, on that claim, to make a computation, or to have an adjustment made in his case, on the basis that the arm’s length provision was made or imposed instead of the actual provision,

the assumptions specified in sub-paragraph (2) below shall apply, in the disadvantaged person’s case, as respects any credit for foreign tax which the disadvantaged person has been or may be given in pursuance of any double taxation arrangements or under section 790(1).

(2) Those assumptions are—

(a) that the foreign tax paid or payable by the disadvantaged person does not include any amount of foreign tax which would not be or have become payable were it to be assumed for the purposes of that tax that the arm’s length provision had been made or imposed instead of the actual provision; and

(b) that the amount of the relevant profits of the disadvantaged person in respect of which he is given credit for foreign tax does not include the amount (if any) by which his relevant profits are treated as reduced in accordance with paragraph 6 above.

(3) Sub-paragraph (4) below applies if—

(a) a claim is made for the purposes of paragraph 6 above;

(b) the disadvantaged person is entitled, on that claim, to make a computation, or to have an adjustment made in his case, on the basis that the arm’s length provision was made or imposed instead of the actual provision;

(c) the application of that basis in the computation of the disadvantaged person’s profits or losses for any chargeable period involves a reduction in the amount of any income; and

(d) that income is also income that falls to be treated as reduced in accordance with section 811(1).

(4) Where this sub-paragraph applies—

(a) the reduction mentioned in sub-paragraph (3)(c) above shall be treated as made before any reduction under section 811(1); and

(b) tax paid, in the place in which any income arises, on so much of that income as is represented by the amount of the reduction mentioned in sub-paragraph (3)(c) above shall be disregarded for the purposes of section 811(1).

(5) Where, in a case in which a claim has been made for the purposes of paragraph 6 above, any adjustment is required to be made for the purpose of giving effect to any of the preceding provisions of this paragraph—

(a) it may be made in any case by setting the amount of the adjustment against any relief or repayment to which the disadvantaged person is entitled in pursuance of that claim; and

(b) nothing in the Tax Acts limiting the time within which any assessment is to be or may be made or amended shall prevent that adjustment from being so made.

(6) References in this paragraph to relevant profits of the disadvantaged person are references to profits arising to the disadvantaged person from the carrying on of the relevant activities.

Foreign exchange gains and losses and financial instruments

8 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, this Schedule shall not require the amounts brought into account in any person’s case under—

(a) Chapter II of Part II of the [1993 c. 34.] Finance Act 1993 (foreign exchange gains and losses), or

(b) Chapter II of Part IV of the [1994 c. 9.] Finance Act 1994 (financial instruments),

to be computed in that person’s case on the assumption that the arm’s length provision had been made or imposed instead of the actual provision.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) above—

(a) shall not affect so much of sections 136 and 136A of the [1993 c. 34.] Finance Act 1993 (application of arm’s length test) as has effect by reference to whether the whole or any part of a loan falls to be treated in accordance with this Schedule as an amount on which interest has been charged or, as the case may be, has been charged at a higher rate; and

(b) accordingly, shall not prevent the assumption mentioned in that sub-paragraph from determining for the purposes of sections 136(8) and (9) and 136A(6) and (7) of that Act how much (if any) of any loan falls to be so treated.

Special rules for sales etc. of oil

9 (1) Subject to paragraph 10 below, this paragraph applies to provision made or imposed by or in relation to the terms of a sale of oil if—

(a) the oil sold is oil which has been, or is to be, extracted under rights exercisable by a company (“the producer”) which (although it may be the seller) is not the buyer; and

(b) at the time of the sale not less than 20 per cent. of the producer’s ordinary share capital is owned directly or indirectly by one or more of the following, that is to say, the buyer and the companies (if any) that are linked to the buyer.

(2) Where this paragraph applies to provision made or imposed by or in relation to the terms of a sale of oil, this Schedule shall have effect as respects that provision as if the buyer, the seller and (if it is not the seller) the producer were all controlled by the same person at the time of the making or imposition of that provision.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph two companies are linked if—

(a) one is under the control of the other; or

(b) both are under the control of the same person or persons.

(4) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) any question whether ordinary share capital is owned directly or indirectly by a company shall be determined as for section 838;

(b) rights to extract oil shall be taken to be exercisable by a company even if they are exercisable by that company only jointly with one or more other companies; and

(c) a sale of oil shall be deemed to take place at the time of the completion of the sale or when possession of the oil passes, whichever is the earlier.

(5) In this paragraph “oil” includes any mineral oil or relative hydrocarbon, as well as natural gas.

Transactions and deemed transactions involving oil

10 This Schedule does not apply in relation to provision made or imposed by means of any transaction or deemed transaction in the case of which the price or consideration is determined in accordance with any of subsections (1) to (4) of section 493 (transactions and deemed transactions involving oil treated as made at market value).

Special provision for companies carrying on ring fence trades

11 (1) This paragraph applies where any person (“the taxpayer”) carries on as, or as part of, a trade any activities (“the ring fence trade”) which, in accordance with section 492(1) either—

(a) fall to be treated for any tax purposes as a separate trade, distinct from all other activities carried on by him as part of the trade; or

(b) would so fall if the taxpayer did carry on any other activities as part of that trade.

(2) Subject to paragraph 10 above and sub-paragraph (4) below, where provision made or imposed as between the taxpayer and another person by means of a transaction or series of transactions—

(a) falls, in relation to the taxpayer, to be regarded as made or imposed in the course of, or with respect to, the ring fence trade; but

(b) falls, in relation to the other person, to be regarded as made or imposed in the course of, or with respect to, activities of that other person which do not fall within section 492(1),

this Schedule shall have effect in relation to that provision with the omission of paragraph 5(2) above.

(3) Subject to paragraph 10 above and sub-paragraph (4) below, this Schedule shall have effect as respects any provision made or imposed by the taxpayer as between the ring fence trade and any other activities carried on by him as if—

(a) that trade and those activities were carried on by two different persons;

(b) that provision were made or imposed as between those two persons by means of a transaction;

(c) a potential advantage in relation to United Kingdom taxation were conferred by that provision on each of those two persons;

(d) those two persons were both controlled by the same person at the time of the making or imposition of that provision; and

(e) paragraphs 5 to 7 above were omitted.

(4) This Schedule shall apply in accordance with this paragraph in relation to any provision mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) or (3) above only where the effect of its application in relation to that provision is either—

(a) that a larger amount (including, if there would not otherwise have been profits, an amount of more than nil) is taken for tax purposes to be the amount of the profits of the ring fence trade for any chargeable period; or

(b) that a smaller amount (including nil) is taken for tax purposes to be the amount for any chargeable period of any losses of that trade.

Appeals

12 (1) In so far as the question in dispute on any appeal falling within sub-paragraph (2) below—

(a) is or involves a determination of whether this Schedule has effect as respects any provision made or imposed as between any two persons, or of how it so has effect, and

(b) is not a question that would fall to be determined by the Special Commissioners apart from this sub-paragraph,

that question shall be determined by them.

(2) The appeals falling within this sub-paragraph are—

(a) any appeal under section 31 of, or Schedule 1A to, the Management Act;

(b) any appeal under paragraph 34(3) of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 against an amendment of a company’s return; and

(c) any appeal under paragraph 48 of that Schedule against a discovery assessment or a discovery determination.

(3) Sub-paragraph (4) below applies where—

(a) any such question as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) above falls to be determined by the Special Commissioners for the purposes of any proceedings before them; and

(b) that question relates to any provision made or imposed as between two persons each of whom is a person in relation to whom the condition set out in paragraph 5(3) above is satisfied.

(4) Where this sub-paragraph applies—

(a) each of the persons as between whom the actual provision was made or imposed shall be entitled to appear and be heard by the Special Commissioners, or to make representations to them in writing;

(b) the Special Commissioners shall determine that question separately from any other questions in those proceedings; and

(c) their determination on that question shall have effect as if made in an appeal to which each of those persons was a party.

(5) In this paragraph—

• “discovery assessment” means a discovery assessment under paragraph 41 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 (including one by virtue of paragraph 52 of that Schedule); and

• “discovery determination” means a discovery determination under paragraph 41 of that Schedule.

Saving for the provisions relating to capital allowances and capital gains

13 Nothing in this Schedule shall be construed as affecting—

(a) the computation of the amount of any capital allowance or balancing charge made under the 1990 Act; or

(b) the computation in accordance with the 1992 Act of the amount of any chargeable gain or allowable loss;

and nothing in this Schedule shall require the profits or losses of any person to be computed for tax purposes as if, in his case, instead of income or losses falling to be brought into account in connection with the taxation of income, there were gains or losses falling to be brought into account in accordance with the 1992 Act.

General interpretation etc.

14 (1) In this Schedule—

• “the actual provision” and “the affected persons” shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 1(1) above;

• “the arm”s length provision' shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 1(2) and (3) above;

• “double taxation arrangements” means arrangements having effect by virtue of section 788;

• “foreign tax” means any tax under the law of a territory outside the United Kingdom or any amount which falls for the purposes of any double taxation arrangements to be treated as if it were such tax;

• “insurance company” has the same meaning as in Chapter I of Part XII;

• “losses” includes amounts which are not losses but in respect of which relief may be given in accordance with any of the following enactments—

  (a)

  section 75(3) (excess of management expenses);

  (b)

  section 468L(5) (allowance for interest distributions of a unit trust);

  (c)

  Part X (loss relief and group relief);

  (d)

  section 83 of and Schedule 8 to the [1996 c. 8.] Finance Act 1996 or paragraph 4 of Schedule 11 to that Act (deficits on loan relationships);

• “profits” includes income;

• “the relevant activities”, in relation to a person who is one of the persons as between whom any provision is made or imposed, means such of his activities as—

  (i)

  comprise the activities in the course of which, or with respect to which, that provision is made or imposed; and

  (ii)

  are not activities carried on either separately from those activities or for the purposes of a different part of that person’s business;

• “transaction” and “series of transactions” shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 3 above.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraphs 9(2) and 11(3) above, references in this Schedule to a person controlling a body corporate or a partnership shall be construed in accordance with section 840.

(3) In determining for the purposes of this Schedule whether a person has an entitlement, in pursuance of any double taxation arrangements or under section 790(1), to be given credit for foreign tax, any requirement that a claim is made before such a credit is given shall be disregarded.

(4) Any adjustments required to be made by virtue of this Schedule may be made by way of discharge or repayment of tax, by the modification of any assessment or otherwise.

(5) This Schedule shall have effect as if—

(a) a unit trust scheme were a company that is a body corporate;

(b) the rights of the unit holders under such a scheme were shares in the company that the scheme is deemed to be;

(c) rights and powers of a person in the capacity of a person entitled to act for the purposes of the scheme were rights and powers of the scheme; and

(d) provision made or imposed as between any person in such a capacity and another person were made or imposed as between the scheme and that other person.”