Finance Act 2001

Commissioners' delay

6 (1) In deciding the applicable period for the purposes of paragraphs 4 and 5 any period by which the Commissioners' authorisation of the repayment or drawback is delayed by circumstances beyond their control must be ignored.

(2) In applying sub-paragraph (1) account must be taken in particular of any period referable to—

(a) any failure by any person to provide the Commissioners with information requested by them to enable the existence and amount of the claimant’s entitlement to a repayment or drawback to be determined;

(b) the making (in connection with the claim for repayment or drawback) of a claim to anything to which the claimant is not entitled.

(3) In deciding for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a) whether a period of delay is referable to a failure by a person to provide information requested, the period mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) must be taken to be so referable (except so far as may be prescribed by the Commissioners by regulations).

(4) The period is that which—

(a) starts with the day when the Commissioners request the person to provide information they reasonably consider relevant to the matter to be determined, and

(b) ends with the earliest day when it would be reasonable for them to conclude that they have received a complete answer to their request or all they need to answer it, or to conclude that it is unnecessary for them to be provided with information in answer to their request.