221.This section defines “qualifying activity”. An activity is a qualifying activity if it is undertaken by a business or a voluntary or community body, for the purposes of that organisation. For example if a business was carried on by a sole trader, the buying and selling of goods or services under that business would fall within the definition of qualifying activity, but other activities undertaken by the business owner in their capacity as a private individual would not.
222.Subsection (3) excludes from the definition of qualifying activities those activities undertaken by businesses (or voluntary and community bodies) that are part of the public sector, or activities undertaken on behalf of a public authority (for example the provision of NHS services by many dentists or pharmacists).
223.A business or body is treated as part of the public sector if it is controlled by a public authority. It is intended that this will be determined in line with any determination by the Office for National Statistics (in accordance with relevant international standards) that an entity is classified to the public sector. Guidance will be published by the Secretary of State to establish this (subsection (4)).