Section 96: Companies with overseas branches: restriction of credit
219.This section governs the allowance of credit relief against corporation tax charged on profits of life assurance business if the relief is in respect of foreign tax on insurance business carried on through an overseas branch of an insurance company. It is based on section 804A of ICTA.
220.This section provides that, where tax is charged overseas otherwise than wholly by reference to profits, the shareholders’ share of the foreign tax (to be measured in accordance with the rules in subsections (5) and (6)) is to qualify for credit relief, even though the balance of the foreign tax can be deducted in calculating the profits of life assurance business carried on by the company.
221.This section is the first of a group of sections concerned with DTR for insurance companies. Chapter 1 of Part 12 of ICTA (insurance companies) is not rewritten. But, as the bulk of Part 18 of ICTA (DTR) is being rewritten in this Act, the balance of convenience favours including sections 804A to 804E of ICTA (DTR: insurance companies) in the rewrite. Since the rewrite of those sections needs to be read alongside the unrewritten Chapter 1 of Part 12 of ICTA, their rewrite takes a relatively conservative approach.