Finance Act 1988

Production of accounts, books etc. U.K.

126 Production of documents relating to a person’s tax liability. U.K.

F1 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) In subsection (7) of that section, for the words “this section”, in the first place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words “ subsection (1) or (3) above ”.

(3) After subsection (8) of that section there shall be inserted—

“(8A) If, on an application made by an inspector and authorised by order of the Board, a Special Commissioner gives his consent, the inspector may give such a notice as is mentioned in subsection (3) above but without naming the taxpayer to whom the notice relates; but such a consent shall not be given unless the Special Commissioner is satisfied—

(a) that the notice relates to a taxpayer whose identity is not known to the inspector or to a class of taxpayers whose individual identities are not so known;

(b) that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the taxpayer or any of the class of taxpayers to whom the notice relates may have failed or may fail to comply with any provision of the Taxes Acts;

(c) that any such failure is likely to have led or to lead to serious prejudice to the proper assessment or collection of tax; and

(d) that the information which is likely to be contained in the documents to which the notice relates is not readily available from another source.

(8B) A person to whom there is given a notice under subsection (8A) above may, by notice in writing given to the inspector within thirty days after the date of the notice under that subsection, object to that notice on the ground that it would be onerous for him to comply with it; and if the matter is not resolved by agreement, it shall be referred to the Special Commissioners, who may confirm, vary or cancel that notice.”

(4) In section 20B of that Act—

(a) in subsection (1), for the words “section 20(1) or (3)” there shall be substituted the words “ section 20(1), (3) or (8A) ” and for the words “section 20(7)” there shall be substituted the words “ section 20(7) or (8A) ”; and

(b) in subsections (2), (4), (8) F2 . . ., after the words “section 20(3)”, in each place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words “ or (8A) ”.

(5) In consequence of the amendment made by subsection (1) above, at the end of section 12(3) of the M1 National Savings Bank Act 1971 (provisions which override prohibition on disclosure of information) there shall be added the words “ and of section 20(4)(b) of that Act (persons who may be required to produce documents relating to liability of taxpayer arising from business) ”.

(6) The amendments made by this section have effect with respect to notices given after the passing of this Act.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 126(1) repealed(with respect to notices given, or warrants issued on or after 27.07.1989) by Finance Act 1989 (c. 26, SIF 63:1), s. 187(1), Sch. 17 Pt. VIII Note 2.

F2 Words in s. 126(4)(b) repealed(with respect to notices given, or warrants issued on or after 27.07.1989) by Finance Act 1989 (c. 26, SIF 63:1), s. 187(1), Sch. 17 Pt. VIII Note 2.

Marginal Citations

M1 1971 c. 29.

127 Production of computer records etc. U.K.

(1) Any provision made by or under the Taxes Acts which requires a person—

(a) to produce, furnish or deliver any document or cause any document to be produced, furnished or delivered; or

(b) to permit the Board, or an inspector or other officer of the Board—

(i) to inspect any document, or

(ii) to make or take extracts from or copies of or remove any document,

shall have effect as if any reference in that provision to a document [F3 were a reference to anything in which information of any description is recorded and any reference to a copy of a document were a reference to anything onto which information recorded in the document has been copied, by whatever means and whether directly or indirectly].

(2) In connection with tax, a person authorised by the Board to exercise the powers conferred by this subsection—

(a) shall be entitled at any reasonable time to have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with any document to which this subsection applies; and

(b) may require—

(i) the person by whom or on whose behalf the computer is or has been so used, or

(ii) any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus, or material,

to afford him such reasonable assistance as he may require for the purposes of paragraph (a) above.

(3) Subsection (2) above applies to any document [F4 , within the meaning given by subsection (1) above,]which a person is or may be required by or under any provision of the Taxes Acts—

(a) to produce, furnish or deliver, or cause to be produced, furnished or delivered; or

(b) to permit the Board, or an inspector or other officer of the Board, to inspect, make or take extracts from or copies of or remove.

(4) Any person who—

(a) obstructs a person authorised under subsection (2) above in the exercise of his powers under paragraph (a) of that subsection, or

(b) fails to comply within a reasonable time with a requirement under paragraph (b) of that subsection,

shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £500.

F5 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) This section shall be construed as if it were contained in the M2 Taxes Management Act 1970.

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in s. 127(1) substituted (31.1.1997) by 1995 c. 38, s. 15(1), Sch. 1 para. 13(2) (with ss. 1(3), 6(4)(5), 14); S.I. 1996/3217, art. 2

F4 Words in s. 127(3) substituted (31.1.1997) by 1995 c. 38, s. 15(1), Sch. 1 para. 13(3) (with ss. 1(3), 6(4)(5), 14); S.I. 1996/3217, art. 2

F5 S. 127(5) repealed (31.1.1997) by 1995 c. 38, s. 15, Sch. 1 para. 13(4), Sch. 2 (with ss. 1(3), 6(4)(5), 14); S.I. 1996/3217, art. 2

Marginal Citations

M2 1970 c. 9.