Finance Act 1996

5 Misuse of rebated kerosene. U.K.

(1) The M1 Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 1979 shall be amended as mentioned in subsections (2) to (5) below.

(2) In section 11(1) (rebate on heavy oil), for “and 13” there shall be substituted “ 13, 13AA and 13AB ”.

(3) In section 12(2) (restriction on use of rebated heavy oil for road vehicles), after “allowed” there shall be inserted “ (whether under section 11(1) above or 13AA(1) below) ”.

(4) After section 13 there shall be inserted the following sections—

“13AA Restrictions on use of rebated kerosene.

(1) If, on the delivery of kerosene for home use, it is intended to use the kerosene as fuel for—

(a) an engine provided for propelling an excepted vehicle, or

(b) an engine which is used neither for propelling a vehicle nor for heating,

a declaration shall be made to that effect and thereupon rebate shall be allowed at the rate for rebated gas oil which is then in force, instead of at the rate then in force under section 11(1)(c) above.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, no kerosene on whose delivery for home use a rebate at the rate given by section 11(1)(c) above has been allowed shall—

(a) be used as fuel for an engine provided for propelling an excepted vehicle;

(b) be used as fuel for an engine which is used neither for propelling a vehicle nor for heating; or

(c) be taken into the fuel supply of an engine falling within paragraph (a) or (b) above.

(3) Subsection (2) above does not apply to any quantity of kerosene in respect of which there has been paid to the Commissioners an amount equal to duty on the same quantity of gas oil at the rate for rebated gas oil which is in force at the time of the payment.

(4) A payment under subsection (3) above shall be made in accordance with regulations made under section 24(1) below for the purposes of this section.

(5) For the purposes of this section and section 13AB below—

“excepted vehicle” means a vehicle which is an excepted vehicle under any provision of Schedule 1 to this Act; and

“kerosene” means heavy oil of which more than 50 per cent. by volume distils at a temperature of 240°C or less.

(6) For the purposes of this section and section 13AB below the rate for rebated gas oil which is in force at any time is the rate of duty which at that time is in force under section 6(1) above in the case of heavy oil as reduced by the rate of rebate allowable at that time under section 11(1)(b) above.

13AB Penalties for misuse of kerosene.

(1) If a person uses kerosene in contravention of section 13AA(2) above—

(a) the Commissioners may recover from him, in respect of the quantity of kerosene used, an amount equal to duty on the same quantity of gas oil at the rate for rebated gas oil which is in force at the time of the contravention;

(b) his use of the kerosene shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the M2 Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties); and

(c) if he uses the kerosene with the relevant intent, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) If a person is liable for kerosene being taken into a fuel supply of an engine in contravention of section 13AA(2) above—

(a) the Commissioners may recover from him, in respect of the quantity of kerosene taken into the fuel supply, an amount equal to duty on the same quantity of gas oil at the rate for rebated gas oil which is in force at the time of the contravention;

(b) his becoming so liable shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties); and

(c) if he has the relevant intent in relation to the kerosene being taken into the fuel supply, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, a person is liable for kerosene being taken into a fuel supply of an engine if at the time—

(a) he has the charge of the engine; or

(b) subject to subsection (4) below, he is the owner of the engine.

(4) If a person other than the owner is for the time being entitled to possession of the engine, that other person and not the owner is liable.

(5) If—

(a) a person supplies kerosene having reason to believe that it will be put to a particular use, and

(b) that use is one which, if a payment is not made under subsection (3) of section 13AA above, will contravene subsection (2) of that section,

his supplying the kerosene shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the M3 Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties) and, if he makes the supply with the relevant intent, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(6) In this section “the relevant intent” means the intent that the restrictions imposed by section 13AA(2) above shall be contravened.

(7) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a penalty of the statutory maximum, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a penalty of any amount, or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 7 years, or to both.

(8) Any kerosene falling within subsection (9) or (10) below is liable to forfeiture.

(9) Kerosene falls within this subsection if it is taken into a fuel supply in contravention of section 13AA(2) above.

(10) Kerosene falls within this subsection if—

(a) it has been supplied in circumstances in which there is reason to believe that it will be put to a particular use; and

(b) that use is one which, if payment is not made under subsection (3) of section 13AA above, will contravene subsection (2) of that section.”

(5) In section 24 (control of use of duty-free and rebated oil)—

(a) in subsection (1), after “section 13A” there shall be inserted “ section 13AA ”; and

(b) in subsection (2), after “section 12” there shall be inserted “ or section 13AA ”.

(6) This section shall have effect in relation to cases where kerosene is—

(a) used as fuel, or

(b) taken into a fuel supply,

on or after such day as the Commissioners of Customs and Excise may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.

Marginal Citations

M1 1979 c. 5.

M2 1994 c. 9.

M3 1994 c. 9.