Finance Act 2002

Change in ownership of company with unused non-trading loss U.K.

4 (1) Chapter 6 of Part 17 of the Taxes Act 1988 (tax avoidance: miscellaneous) is amended as follows.

(2) In section 768C, after subsection (12) add—

“(13) This section applies in relation to an asset to which Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002 applies (intangible fixed assets), with the following adaptations—

(a) for the reference to section 171(1) of the 1992 Act substitute a reference to paragraph 55 of that Schedule;

(b) for any reference to a chargeable gain under that Act substitute a reference to a chargeable realisation gain within the meaning of that Schedule that is a credit within paragraph 34(1)(a) of that Schedule (non-trading credits);

(c) for any reference to a disposal of the asset substitute a reference to its realisation within the meaning of that Schedule;

(d) for the reference to the relevant provisions of the 1992 Act substitute a reference to Part 6 of that Schedule.”.

(3) After section 768D insert—

“768E Change in ownership of company with unused non-trading loss on intangible fixed assets

(1) Where there is a change in the ownership of an investment company and either—

(a) paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 768B(1) applies, or

(b) section 768C applies,

the following provisions have effect to prevent relief being given under paragraph 35 of Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002 by setting a non-trading loss on intangible fixed assets incurred by the company before the change of ownership against profits arising after the change.

(2) The accounting period in which the change of ownership occurs is treated for that purpose as two separate accounting periods, the first ending with the change and the second consisting of the remainder of the period.

(3) The profits or losses of the period in which the change occurs are apportioned to those two periods—

(a) where paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 768B(1) applies, in accordance with Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 28A, or

(b) where section 768C applies, in accordance with Parts 5 and 6 of that Schedule,

unless in any case the specified method of apportionment would work unjustly or unreasonably in which case such other method shall be used as appears just and reasonable.

(4) Relief under paragraph 35 of Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002 against total profits of the same accounting period is available only in relation to each of those periods considered separately.

(5) A loss made in any accounting period beginning before the change of ownership may not be set off under paragraph 35(3) of Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002 against—

(a) in a case where paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 768B(1) applies, profits of an accounting period ending after the change of ownership;

(b) in a case where section 768C applies, so much of those profits as represents the relevant gain within the meaning of that section.

(6) Subsections (8) and (9) of section 768 (time limits for assessment; information powers) apply for the purposes of this section as they apply for the purposes of that section.

(7) In this section “investment company” has the same meaning as in Part 4.”.

(4) In paragraph 6 of Schedule 28A to the Taxes Act 1988 (amounts in issue for purposes of section 768B), after paragraph (dd) insert—

“(de) the amount of any non-trading credits or debits in respect of intangible fixed assets that fall to be brought into account for that period under paragraph 34 of Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002;

(df) the amount of any non-trading loss on intangible fixed assets carried forward to that accounting period under paragraph 35(3) of that Schedule;”.

(5) In paragraph 7(1) of that Schedule (apportionment for purposes of section 768B), after paragraph (f) insert—

“(g) in the case of any such credit or debit as is mentioned in paragraph 6(de), by apportioning to each accounting period the credits or debits that would fall to be brought into account in that period if it were a period of account for which accounts were drawn up in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice;

(h) in the case of any such loss as is mentioned in paragraph 6(df) above, by apportioning the whole amount of the loss to the first part of the accounting period being divided.”.

(6) In paragraph 13(1) of that Schedule (amounts in issue for purposes of section 768C), after paragraph (ed) insert—

“(ee) the amount of any non-trading credits or debits in respect of intangible fixed assets that fall to be brought into account for that period under paragraph 34 of Schedule 29 to the Finance Act 2002;

(ef) the amount of any non-trading loss on intangible fixed assets carried forward to that accounting period under paragraph 35(3) of that Schedule;”.

(7) In paragraph 16(1) of that Schedule (apportionment for purposes of section 768C), after paragraph (f) insert—

“(g) in the case of any such credit or debit as is mentioned in paragraph 13(ee), by apportioning to each accounting period the credits or debits that would fall to be brought into account in that period if it were a period of account for which accounts were drawn up in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice;

(h) in the case of any such loss as is mentioned in paragraph 13(ef), by apportioning the whole amount of the loss to the first part of the accounting period being divided.”.