Finance Act 1994

Partnerships

184 Partnership return

After section 12 of the Management Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“Partnerships

12AA Partnership return

(1) Where a trade, profession or business is carried on by two or more persons in partnership, for the purpose of facilitating—

(a) the assessment to income tax for a year of assessment, and

(b) the assessment to corporation tax for any period,

of each partner who is liable to be so assessed, an officer of the Board may act under subsection (2) or (3) below (or both).

(2) An officer of the Board may by a notice given to the partners require such person as is identified in accordance with rules given with the notice—

(a) to make and deliver to the officer in respect of such period as may be specified in the notice, on or before such day as may be so specified, a return containing such information as may reasonably be required in pursuance of the notice, and

(b) to deliver with the return such accounts and statements as may reasonably be so required.

(3) An officer of the Board may by notice given to any partner require the partner—

(a) to make and deliver to the officer in respect of such period as may be specified in the notice, on or before such day as may be so specified, a return containing such information as may reasonably be required in pursuance of the notice, and

(b) to deliver with the return such accounts and statements as may reasonably be so required;

and a notice may be given to any one partner or separate notices may be given to each partner or to such partners as the officer thinks fit.

(4) In the case of a partnership which includes one or more individuals, the day specified in a notice under subsection (2) or (3) above shall not be earlier than—

(a) the 31st January next following the year of assessment concerned, or

(b) where the notice under this section is given after the 31st October next following the year, the last day of the period of three months beginning with the day on which the notice is given.

(5) In the case of a partnership which includes one or more companies, the day specified in a notice under subsection (2) or (3) above shall not be earlier than—

(a) the first anniversary of the end of the relevant period, or

(b) where the notice under this section is given more than nine months after the end of the relevant period, the last day of the period of three months beginning with the day on which the notice is given;

and the relevant period for the purposes of this subsection and subsection (6) below is the period in respect of which the return is required.

(6) Every return under this section shall include—

(a) a declaration of the name, residence and tax reference of each of the persons who have been partners—

(i) for the whole of the relevant period, or

(ii) for any part of that period,

and, in the case of a person falling within sub-paragraph (ii) above, of the part concerned; and

(b) a declaration by the person making the return to the effect that it is to the best of his knowledge correct and complete.

(7) Every return under this section shall also include, if the notice under subsection (2) or (3) above so requires—

(a) with respect to any disposal of partnership property during a period to which any part of the return relates, the like particulars as if the partnership were liable to tax on any chargeable gain accruing on the disposal, and

(b) with respect to any acquisition of partnership property, the particulars required under section 12(2) of this Act.

(8) A notice under this section may require different information, accounts and statements for different periods or in relation to different descriptions of source of income.

(9) Notices under this section may require different information, accounts and statements in relation to different descriptions of partnership.

(10) In this section “residence”, in relation to a company, means its registered office.”

185 Partnership return to include partnership statement

After section 12AA of the Management Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“12AB Partnership return to include partnership statement

(1) Every return under section 12AA of this Act shall include a statement (a partnership statement) of the following amounts, namely—

(a) in the case of each period of account ending within the period in respect of which the return is made—

(i) the amount of income or loss from each source which, on the basis of the information contained in the return, has accrued to or has been sustained by the partnership for that period, and

(ii) the amount of each charge which, on that basis, was a charge on the income of the partnership for that period; and

(b) in the case of each such period and each of the partners, the amount which, on that basis, is equal to his share of that income, loss or charge.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below—

(a) at any time before the end of the period of nine months beginning with the day on which a person’s return is delivered, an officer of the Board may by notice to that person so amend that person’s partnership statement as to correct any obvious errors or mistakes in the return (whether errors of principle, arithmetical mistakes or otherwise); and

(b) at any time before the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the filing date, a person may by notice to an officer of the Board so amend his partnership statement as to give effect to any amendments to his return which he has notified to such an officer.

(3) No amendment of a partnership statement may be made under subsection (2) above at any time during the period—

(a) beginning with the day on which an officer of the Board gives notice of his intention to enquire into the return, and

(b) ending with the day on which the officer’s enquiries into the return are completed.

(4) Where a partnership statement is amended under subsection (2) above, the officer shall by notice to the partners so amend their self-assessments under section 9 or 11AA of this Act as to give effect to the amendments of the partnership statement.

(5) In this section—

• “filing date” means the day specified in the notice under subsection (2) or, as the case may be, subsection (3) of section 12AA of this Act;

• “period of account”, in relation to a partnership, means any period for which accounts are drawn up.”

186 Power to enquire into partnership return

After section 12AB of the Management Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“12AC Power to enquire into partnership return

(1) An officer of the Board may enquire into—

(a) the return on the basis of which a person’s partnership statement was made under section 12AB of this Act, or

(b) any amendment of that return on the basis of which that statement has been amended by that person,

if, before the end of the period mentioned in subsection (2) below, he gives notice in writing of his intention to do so to that person or any successor of that person.

(2) The period referred to in subsection (1) above is—

(a) in the case of a return delivered or amendment made on or before the filing date, the period of twelve months beginning with that date;

(b) in the case of a return delivered or amendment made after that date, the period ending with the quarter day next following the first anniversary of the day on which the return or amendment was delivered or made;

and the quarter days for the purposes of this subsection are 31st January, 30th April, 31st July and 31st October.

(3) The giving of notice under subsection (1) above at any time shall be deemed to include the giving of notice under section 9A(1) or, as the case may be, section 11AB(1) of this Act to each partner who—

(a) at that time, has made a return under section 9 or 11 of this Act, or

(b) at any subsequent time, makes such a return.

(4) A return or amendment which has been enquired into under subsection (1) above shall not be the subject of a further notice under that subsection.

(5) In this section “the filing date” means the day specified in the notice under subsection (2) or, as the case may be, subsection (3) of section 12AA of this Act.

(6) In this Act “successor”, in relation to a person who—

(a) has made and delivered a return under section 12AA of this Act, but

(b) is no longer a partner or is otherwise no longer available,

means such other partner who may at any time be nominated for the purposes of this subsection by the majority of the partners at that time, and “predecessor” and “successor”, in relation to a person so nominated, shall be construed accordingly.”