Oil Taxation Act 1975

14 (1) A participator may appeal to the Special Commissioners against an assessment or determination [F1 or an amendment of an assessment or determination] made on or in relation to him by notice of appeal in writing given to the Board within thirty days after the date of issue of the notice of assessment or determination [F1 or of the notice of the amendment]. U.K.

(2) The notice of appeal shall specify the grounds of appeal, but on the hearing of the appeal the Commissioners may allow the appellant to put forward any ground not specified in the notice, and may take it into consideration if satisfied that the omission was not wilful or unreasonable.

(3) A participator who has given notice of appeal under sub-paragraph (1) above against an assessment charging him with any tax for a chargeable period may, if he delivered a return for that period as required by paragraph 2 above, withhold, until the determination or abandonment of the appeal, so much of the tax charged in the assessment as is the smaller of—

(a) the amount of the tax so charged; and

(b) tax on the difference between—

(i) the aggregate of the consideration received or receivable for oil as stated in the participator’s return in pursuance of sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph and, subject to sub-paragraph (4) below, the market value of oil as so stated; and

(ii) the aggregate of the corresponding consideration and value as included in the assessment.

(4) Subject to sub-paragraph (5) below, where the market value of all the oil for which a market value is stated in the participator’s return is, as stated in that return, less than the value which is produced for that oil by applying to it the average price mentioned in sub-paragraph (6) below, sub-paragraph (3) above shall have effect as if, for the reference to the market value of oil as so stated, there were substituted a reference to the value which is so produced for that oil.

(5) The comparison of values and the substitution required by sub-paragraph (4) above shall, in the case of an appeal by a participator whose return relates both to gas and to other oil, be made separately for the gas and for the other oil.

(6) The average price referred to in sub-paragraph (4) above is the average price at which all oil included in the relevant returns as oil delivered in the period covered by the returns and disposed of in sales at arm’s length was so disposed of.

(7) The relevant returns for the purposes of sub-paragraph (6) above are all the returns of all the participators in all oil fields which—

(a) were made for the chargeable period preceding that to which the appeal relates; and

(b) were delivered before the end of the chargeable period to which the appeal relates.

(8) The participator may at any time, if the Board do not object to his doing so, abandon an appeal instituted by him; and for this purpose he shall notify his desire to do so to the Board who may, within thirty days after being so notified, object by notice in writing to the participator.

(9) Where, at any time between—

(a) the giving of a notice of appeal against the assessment [F2 determination or amendment] or from a decision of the Board on a claim under section 33 of the M1 Taxes Management Act 1970 as applied by paragraph 1 above, and

(b) the determination of the appeal by the Special Commissioners,

the Board and the participator agree [F2 on how the assessment, determination, amendment or decision should be varied or on what assessment or determination should be substituted in relation to the chargeable period in question, the same consequences shall ensue as if the Commissioners had determined the appeal to that effect].

[F3 (10) If, on the appeal, it appears to a majority of the Commissioners present at the hearing that the assessment, determination or amendment is wrong—

(a) because no, or a smaller, assessable profit or a, or a larger, allowable loss has accrued for the chargeable period in question; or

(b) because a, or a larger, assessable profit or no, or a smaller, allowable loss has accrued for that period,

the Commissioners shall vary the assessment, determination or amendment in such manner, or substitute such assessment or determination, as may be required; and it shall be for the participator to satisfy the Commissioners as to any matter within paragraph (a) above.]

(11) Save as otherwise provided by this Schedule (including the provisions applied by paragraph 1 above), [F4 the determination by the Special Commissioners of any appeal] under this Part of this Act shall be final and conclusive.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words inserted by Finance Act 1976 (c. 40), s. 130(3)(4)

F2 Words substituted by Finance Act 1976 (c. 40), s. 130(5)

F3 Sch. 2 para. 14(10) substituted by Finance Act 1976 (c. 40), s. 130(6)

F4 Words substituted by Finance Act 1976 (c. 40), s. 130(7)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 See Finance Act 1982 (c. 39), s. 142(5)

C2 See Finance Act 1982 (c. 39), Sch. 19 para. 7(2)

C3 Sch. 2 para. 14(2) to apply to Finance Act 1987 (c. 16), ss. 63(6), 66(8) and Sch. 12 para. 3(2)(d) as for appeals against assessments or determinations made under Oil Taxation Act 1975 (c. 22)

C4 See also Petroleum Revenue Tax Act 1980 (c. 1, SIF 63:1), s. 1(5) in relation to chargeable periods ending on or after 31 December 1979

C5 Sch. 2 para. 14(8) to apply to Finance Act 1987 (c. 16), ss. 63(6), 66(8) and Sch. 12 para. 3(2)(d) as for appeals against assessments or determinations made under Oil Taxation Act 1975 (c. 22)

C6 Sch. 2 para. 14(11) to apply to Finance Act 1987 (c. 16), ss. 63(6), 66(8) and Sch. 12 para. 3(2)(d) as for appeals against assessments or determinations made under Oil Taxation Act 1975 (c. 22)

Marginal Citations

M1 1970 c. 9.