Section 534: Northern Ireland regional development grants
1855.This is the first of three sections which make exceptions to the general rule in section 532. It is based on parts of section 153(1) of CAA 1990 and section 137 of FA 1982. It leaves expenditure met by Northern Ireland regional development grants to qualify for capital allowances (if, of course, the necessary conditions are met).
1856.Subsection (1) uses the term “Northern Ireland legislation”. This term is defined by Schedule 1 and section 24(5) of the Interpretation Act 1978. Paragraph 3 of Schedule 13 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 provides an amendment which would cover Acts of the Assembly.
1857.Subsections (2) and (3) are based on section 137 of FA 1982. Their effect is that the general rule in section 532 excluding contributions does apply (despite subsection (1)) if a grant is “netted off” by paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 to OTA 1975 for the purposes of arriving at expenditure for petroleum revenue tax relief. In summary, in these particular circumstances the recipient (R) cannot get capital allowances.
1858.Subsection (3) deals with a subset of these cases if part of the expenditure met by the grant would have qualified for petroleum revenue tax relief (but for paragraph 8) and part would not have. The part which would not have qualified for relief is left for the “normal” capital allowances rules to apply. In summary, the recipient (R) may be able to get capital allowances for that part of the grant.
1859.Paragraph 106 of Schedule 3 maintains other provisions relating to this exception which have at most only transitional effect.