Section 643: Malawi, Trinidad and Tobago and Zambia government pensions
2549.This section exempts certain pensions paid since 6 April 1973 in respect of government service in Malawi, Trinidad and Tobago and Zambia. It derives from sections 616(1) and (2) of ICTA.
2550.Sections 616(1) and (2) of ICTA were introduced in 1973 to deal with a consequence of the Overseas Pensions Act 1973. Under the Overseas Pensions Act 1973 the United Kingdom government took over responsibility for paying certain pensions previously paid by Commonwealth governments. In 1973 the United Kingdom had double taxation agreements in force with three countries under which government service pensions paid by those countries were exempt from United Kingdom tax.
2551.The effect of the Overseas Pensions Act 1973 was to make these pensions United Kingdom pensions. The benefit of the exemptions given by the double taxation agreements would have been lost if they had not been preserved in some way. Section 616(1) and (2) of ICTA preserved the exemptions by treating the pensions as if they were still paid by the original government. The practical effect is that the pensions are exempt as long as the relevant provisions of the double taxation agreement are unchanged. The section legislates the practical effect.
2552.Subsection (5) prevents the exemption applying to any part of the pension that is paid under the Pension (Increase) Act 1971. These increases have always been paid by the United Kingdom government and have always been taxed under Schedule E as United Kingdom pensions.
