(1)In section 36 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (bad debts), for subsection (3) there shall be substituted—
“(3)In subsection (2) above “the outstanding amount” means—
(a)if at the time of the claim no part of the consideration written off in the claimant’s accounts as a bad debt has been received, an amount equal to the amount of the consideration so written off;
(b)if at that time any part of the consideration so written off has been received, an amount by which that part is exceeded by the amount of the consideration written off;
and in this subsection “received” means received either by the claimant or by a person to whom has been assigned a right to receive the whole or any part of the consideration written off.”
(2)In subsection (5)(e) of that section, for the words from “where” to the end of the paragraph there shall be substituted “where any part (or further part) of the consideration written off in the claimant’s accounts as a bad debt is subsequently received either by the claimant or, except in such circumstances as may be prescribed, by a person to whom has been assigned a right to receive the whole or any part of that consideration;”.
(3)At the end of paragraph 7 of Schedule 11 to that Act (furnishing of information etc.) there shall be added—
“(9)For the purposes of this paragraph a person to whom has been assigned a right to receive the whole or any part of the consideration for a supply of goods or services shall be treated as a person concerned in the supply.”
(4)Until such day as the Commissioners may specify in regulations made under section 36 of that Act, Part XIX of the [S.I 1995/2518.] Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 (bad debt relief), except regulation 171, shall be read as if a reference to a payment being received by the claimant were a reference to a payment being received either by the claimant or by a person to whom a right to receive it has been assigned.
(5)Subsections (1) and (4) above have effect for the purposes of the making of any refund or repayment after 9th March 1999, but do not have effect in relation to anything received on or before that day.