PART XIII MISCELLANEOUS SPECIAL PROVISIONS

F1Chapter 5AShare loss relief

Relief for losses on unquoted shares in trading companies

573 Relief for companies.

(1)

M1Subsection (2) below has effect where a company which has subscribed for shares in a qualifying trading company incurs an allowable loss (for the purpose of corporation tax on chargeable gains) on the disposal of the shares in any accounting period and the company disposing of the shares—

(a)

is an investment company on the date of the disposal and either—

(i)

has been an investment company for a continuous period of six years ending on that date; or

(ii)

has been an investment company for a shorter continuous period ending on that date and has not before the beginning of that period been a trading company or an excluded company; and

(b)

was not associated with, or a member of the same group as, the qualifying trading company at any time in the period beginning with the date when it subscribed for the shares and ending with the date of the disposal.

(2)

The company disposing of the shares may, within two years after the end of the accounting period in which the loss was incurred, make a claim requiring that the loss be set off for the purposes of corporation tax against income—

(a)

of that accounting period; and

(b)

if the company was then an investment company and the claim so requires, of preceding accounting periods ending within the time specified in subsection (3) below;

and, subject to any relief for an earlier loss, the income of any of those periods shall then be treated as reduced by the amount of the loss or by so much of it as cannot be relieved under this subsection against income of a later accounting period.

(3)

The time referred to in subsection (2) above is the period of 12 months ending immediately before the accounting period in which the loss is incurred; but the amount of the reduction which may be made under that subsection in the income of an accounting period falling partly before that time shall not exceed a part of that income proportionate to the part of the accounting period falling within that time.

(4)

F2Where relief is claimed under subsection (2) above, it must be claimed before any deduction is made for charges on income, expenses of management or other amounts which can be deducted from or set against or treated as reducing profits of any description; and where relief F3is obtained under that subsection F4for an amount of a loss no deduction shall be made in respect of that amount for the purposes of corporation tax on chargeable gains.

F5This subsection is subject to subsection (4A) below.

F6(4A)

Paragraph 70 of Schedule 15 to the Finance Act 2000 (priority of loss relief) provides that where relief under Part VII of that Schedule (relief for losses on disposals of shares to which investment relief is attributable) is claimed it must be claimed in priority to relief under subsection (2) above.

(5)

For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above companies are associated with each other if one controls the other or both are under the control of the same person or persons; and section 416(2) to (6) shall apply for the purposes of this subsection.

(6)

M2For the purposes of this section a company subscribes for shares in another company if they are issued to it by that other company in consideration of money or money’s worth.

575 Exclusion of relief under section 573 or 574 in certain cases.

M3(1)

Sections 573 and 574 do not apply unless the disposal is—

(a)

by way of a bargain made at arm’s length for full consideration; or

(b)

by way of a distribution in the course of dissolving or winding up the company; or

F7(ba)

a disposal within section 24(1) of the 1992 Act (entire loss, destruction, dissipation or extinction of asset); or

(c)

a deemed disposal under section F824(2) of the 1992 Act (claim that value of asset has become negligible).

(2)

Where a person disposes of shares (“the new shares”) which by virtue of section F9127 of the 1992 Act (reorganisation etc. treated as not involving disposal) are identified with other shares (“the old shares”) previously held by him, relief shall not be given under section 573 or 574 on the disposal of the new shares unless—

(a)

relief under section 573 or 574 could (or if this section had been in force could) have been given on a disposal of the old shares if he had incurred an allowable loss in disposing of them as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above on the occasion of the disposal that would have occurred but for section F9127 of the 1992 Act; or

(b)

he gave new consideration for the new shares;

but in a case within paragraph (b) above the amount of relief under section 573 or 574 on the disposal of the new shares shall not exceed the amount or value of the new consideration taken into account as a deduction in computing the loss incurred on their disposal.

(3)

Where the shares are the subject of an exchange or arrangement of the kind mentioned in section F10135 or 136 of the 1992 Act (company reconstructions etc.) which by reason of section F10137 of that Act involves a disposal of the shares, section 573 or 574 shall not apply to any allowable loss incurred on the disposal.

576 Provisions supplementary to sections 573 to 575.

(1)

F11Subject to subsections (1A) F12to (1C) below, where a person holds shares in a company which constitute a holding and comprise—

(a)

shares for which he has subscribed (“qualifying shares”); and

(b)

shares which he has acquired otherwise than by subscription,

any question whether a disposal by him of shares forming part of the holding is of qualifying shares shall be determined by treating that and any previous disposal by him out of the holding as relating to shares acquired later rather than earlier; and if a disposal by him is of qualifying shares forming part of a holding and he makes a claim under section 573 or 574 in respect of a loss incurred on their disposal, the amount of relief under that section on the disposal shall not exceed the sums that would be allowed as deductions in computing the loss if the shares had not been part of the holding.

F13(1A)

Subsection (1B) below applies where the holding mentioned in subsection (1) above comprises any of the following, namely—

(a)

shares issued before 1st January 1994 in respect of which relief has been given under Chapter III of Part VII and has not been withdrawn;

(b)

shares issued on or after that date to which relief under that Chapter is attributable; and

(c)

shares to which deferral relief (within the meaning of Schedule 5B to the 1992 Act) is attributable.

(1B)

Any such question as is mentioned in subsection (1) above shall not be determined as provided by that subsection, but shall be determined instead—

(a)

in the case of shares issued before 1st January 1994, as provided by subsections (3) to (4C) of section 299 as it has effect in relation to such shares; and

(b)

in the case of shares issued on or after that date, as provided by subsections (6) to (6D) of that section as it has effect in relation to such shares.

F14(1C)

Where the holding mentioned in subsection (1) above comprises any shares—

(a)

to which investment relief is attributable under Schedule 15 to the Finance Act 2000 (corporate venturing scheme), and

(b)

which have been held continuously (within the meaning of paragraph 97 of that Schedule) from the time they were issued until the disposal,

any such question as is mentioned in that subsection shall not be determined as provided by that subsection, but shall be determined instead as provided by paragraph 93 of that Schedule (identification of shares on a disposal of part of a holding where investment relief is attributable to any shares in the holding held continuously by the disposing company).

For this purpose paragraph 93 of that Schedule shall have effect as if the references in it to a disposal had the same meaning as in subsection (1) above.

(2)

Where a claim is made under section 573 or 574 in respect of a loss accruing on the disposal of shares, section F1530 of the 1992 Act (value-shifting) shall have effect in relation to the disposal as if for the references in subsections (1)(b) and F15(5) to a tax-free benefit there were substituted references to any benefit whether tax-free or not.

(3)

There shall be made all such adjustments of corporation tax on chargeable gains or capital gains tax, whether by way of assessment or by way of discharge or repayment of tax, as may be required in consequence of relief being given under section 573 or 574 in respect of an allowable loss or in consequence of the whole or part of such a loss in respect of which a claim is made not being relieved under that section.

F16(4)

For the purposes of sections 573 to 575 and this section a qualifying trading company is a company which F17. . . —

(a)

either—

(i)

is an eligible trading company on the date of the disposal; or

(ii)

has ceased to be an eligible trading company at a time which is not more than three years before that date and has not since that time been an excluded company, an investment company or a trading company that is not an eligible trading company; and

(b)

either—

(i)

has been an eligible trading company for a continuous period of six years ending on that date or at that time; or

(ii)

has been an eligible trading company for a shorter continuous period ending on that date or at that time and has not before the beginning of that period been an excluded company, an investment company or a trading company that is not an eligible trading company; and

(c)

has carried on its business wholly or mainly in the United Kingdom throughout the relevant period.

(4A)

A company is an eligible trading company for the purposes of subsection (4) above at any time when, or in any period throughout which, it would comply with the requirements of section 293 if—

(a)

the provisions mentioned in subsection (4B) below were omitted;

F18(ab)

the reference in subsection (1A) of section 293 to the beginning of the relevant period were a reference to the time at which the shares in respect of which relief is claimed under section 573 or 574 were issued;

(b)

the references in subsection (6) of section 293 to dissolution were omitted F19and after paragraph (a) of that subsection there were inserted— and

(b)

the company continues, during the winding up, to be a trading company within the meaning of section 576(5).;

(c)

the reference in section 293(6A) to the eligible shares were a reference to the shares in respect of which relief is claimed under section 573 or 574;

(d)

any reference in section 293 F20(except subsection (1A)), 297 or 308 to the relevant period were a reference to the time that is relevant for the purposes of subsection (4)(a) above or, as the case may require, the continuous period that is relevant for the purposes of subsection (4)(b) above;

(e)

the reference in section 304A(1)(e)(i) to eligible shares were a reference to shares in respect of which relief is claimed under section 573 or 574;

(f)

references in section 304A(3) to an individual were references to a person;

(g)

the reference in section 304A(4) to section 304 were a reference to section 574(3)(b); and

(h)

the reference in section 304A(6) to the expressions “eligible shares" and “subscriber shares" were a reference to the expression “subscriber shares".

(4B)

The provisions are—

(a)

in section 293, the words “Subject to section 294,” in subsection (1)F21. . . and subsections (8A) and (8B);

(b)

sections 294 to 296;

(c)

in section 298(5), the words “and section 312(1A)(b) shall apply to determine the relevant period for the purposes of that section";

(d)

in section 304A, subsections (1)(e)(ii) and (2)(b), in subsection (3), the words “to which relief becomes so attributable" and paragraphs (c) and (d), in subsection (4), the words “to which relief becomes so attributable" and paragraphs (c) and (d), and subsection (5); and

(e)

section 308(5A).

(5)

M4In sections 573 to 575 and this section—

F22“civil partner” refers to one of two civil partners who are living together (construed in accordance with section 282);

“excluded company” means a company—

(a)

which has a trade which consists wholly or mainly of F23dealing in land, in commodities or futures or in shares, securities or other financial instruments, or is not carried on on a commercial basis and in such a way that profits in the trade can reasonably be expected to be realised; or

(b)

which is the holding company of a group other than a trading group; or

(c)

which is a building society or a registered industrial and provident society as defined in section 486(12);

“group” means a company which has one or more 51 per cent. subsidiaries together with that or those subsidiaries;

F24“holding” means any number of shares of the same class held by one person in one capacity, growing or diminishing as shares of that class are acquired or disposed of, but shares shall not be treated as being of the same class unless they are so treated by the practice of a recognised stock exchange or would be so treated if dealt with on such a stock exchange, and subsection (4) of section 104 of the 1992 Act shall apply for the purposes of this definition as it applies for the purposes of subsection (1) of that section;

“holding company” means a company whose business consists wholly or mainly in the holding of shares or securities of one or more companies which are its 51 per cent. subsidiaries;

“investment company” has the meaning given by section 130 except that it does not include the holding company of a trading group;

“new consideration” means consideration in money or money’s worth other than consideration of the kind excluded by F25paragraph (a) or (b) of section 128(2)F26of the 1992 Act;

“relevant period” means the period ending with the date on which the shares in question are disposed of and beginning with the incorporation of the company, or, if later, one year before the date on which the shares were F27issued;

F28“shares”—

(a)

except in subsections (1A) and (1B) above, includes stock; but

(b)

except in the definition of “excluded company", does not include shares or stock not forming part of a company’s ordinary share capital;

“spouse” refers to one of two spouses who are living together (construed in accordance with section F29282);

“trading company” means a company other than an excluded company which is—

(a)

F30a company whose business consists wholly or mainly of the carrying on of a trade or trades; or

(b)

the holding company of a trading group;

“trading group” means a group the business of whose members, taken together, consists wholly or mainly in the carrying on of a trade or trades, but for the purposes of this definition any trade carried on by a subsidiary which is an excluded company F31. . . shall be treated as not constituting a trade.

F32576AQualifying trading companies

(1)

For the purposes of this Chapter a qualifying trading company is a company which meets each of conditions A to D.

(2)

Condition A is that the company either—

(a)

meets each of the following requirements on the date of the disposal—

(i)

the trading requirement (see section 576B),

(ii)

the control and independence requirement (see section 576D),

(iii)

the qualifying subsidiaries requirement (see section 576E), and

(iv)

the property managing subsidiaries requirement (see section 576F), or

(b)

has ceased to meet any of those requirements at a time which is not more than 3 years before that date and has not since that time been an excluded company, an investment company or a trading company.

(3)

Condition B is that the company either—

(a)

has met each of the requirements mentioned in condition A for a continuous period of 6 years ending on that date or at that time, or

(b)

has met each of those requirements for a shorter continuous period ending on that date or at that time and has not before the beginning of that period been an excluded company, an investment company or a trading company.

(4)

Condition C is that the company—

(a)

met the gross assets requirement (see section 576G) both immediately before and immediately after the issue of the shares in respect of which the relief is claimed under this Chapter, and

(b)

met the unquoted status requirement (see section 576H) at the relevant time within the meaning of that section.

(5)

Condition D is that the company has carried on its business wholly or mainly in the United Kingdom throughout the period—

(a)

beginning with the incorporation of the company or, if later, 12 months before the shares in question were issued, and

(b)

ending with the date of the disposal.

F33Qualifying trading companies: the requirements

576BThe trading requirement

(1)

The trading requirement is that—

(a)

the company, disregarding any incidental purposes, exists wholly for the purpose of carrying on one or more qualifying trades, or

(b)

the company is a parent company and the business of the group does not consist wholly or as to a substantial part in the carrying on of non-qualifying activities.

(2)

If the company intends that one or more other companies should become its qualifying subsidiaries with a view to their carrying on one or more qualifying trades—

(a)

the company is treated as a parent company for the purposes of subsection (1)(b), and

(b)

the reference in subsection (1)(b) to the group includes the company and any existing or future company that will be its qualifying subsidiary after the intention in question is carried into effect.

This subsection does not apply at any time after the abandonment of that intention.

(3)

For the purpose of subsection (1)(b) the business of the group means what would be the business of the group if the activities of the group companies taken together were regarded as one business.

(4)

For the purpose of determining the business of a group, activities are disregarded to the extent that they are activities carried on by a mainly trading subsidiary otherwise than for its main purpose.

(5)

For the purposes of determining the business of a group, activities of a group company are disregarded to the extent that they consist in—

(a)

the holding of shares in or securities of a qualifying subsidiary of the parent company,

(b)

the making of loans to another group company,

(c)

the holding and managing of property used by a group company for the purpose of one or more qualifying trades carried on by a group company, or

(d)

the holding and managing of property used by a group company for the purpose of research and development from which it is intended—

(i)

that a qualifying trade to be carried on by a group company will be derived, or

(ii)

that a qualifying trade carried on or to be carried on by a group company will benefit.

(6)

Any reference in subsection (5)(d)(i) or (ii) to a group company includes a reference to any existing or future company which will be a group company at any future time.

(7)

In this section—

“excluded activities” has the meaning given by section 192 of ITA 2007 read with sections 193 to 199 of that Act,

“group” means a parent company and all its qualifying subsidiaries,

“group company”, in relation to a group, means the parent company or any of its qualifying subsidiaries,

“incidental purposes” means purposes having no significant effect (other than in relation to incidental matters) on the extent of the activities of the company in question,

“mainly trading subsidiary” means a subsidiary which, apart from incidental purposes, exists wholly for the purpose of carrying on one or more qualifying trades, and any reference to the main purpose of such a subsidiary is to be read accordingly,

“non-qualifying activities” means—

(a)

excluded activities, and

(b)

activities (other than research and development) carried on otherwise than in the course of a trade,

“parent company” means a company that has one or more qualifying subsidiaries,

“qualifying subsidiary” is to be read in accordance with section 191 of ITA 2007,

“qualifying trade” has the meaning given by section 189 of that Act,

“research and development” has the meaning given by section 837A.

(8)

In sections 189(1)(b) and 194(4)(c) of ITA 2007 (as applied by subsection (7) for the purposes of the definitions of “excluded activities” and “qualifying trade”) “period B” means the continuous period that is relevant for the purposes of section 576A(3).

F34(9)

In section 195 of ITA 2007 as applied by subsection (7) for the purposes mentioned in subsection (8), references to the issuing company are to be read as references to the company mentioned in subsection (1).

F35576CCeasing to meet the trading requirement because of administration or receivership

(1)

A company is not regarded as ceasing to meet the trading requirement by reason only of anything done in consequence of the company or any of its subsidiaries being in administration or receivership.

This has effect subject to subsections (2) and (3).

(2)

Subsection (1) applies only if—

(a)

the entry into administration or receivership, and

(b)

everything done as a result of the company concerned being in administration or receivership,

is for genuine commercial reasons, and is not part of a scheme or arrangement the main purpose or one of the main purposes of which is the avoidance of tax.

(3)

A company ceases to meet the trading requirement if before the time that is relevant for the purposes of section 576A(2)—

(a)

a resolution is passed, or an order is made, for the winding up of the company or any of its subsidiaries (or, in the case of a winding up otherwise than under the Insolvency Act 1986 or the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, any other act is done for the like purpose), or

(b)

the company or any of its subsidiaries is dissolved without winding up.

This is subject to subsection (4).

(4)

Subsection (3) does not apply if —

(a)

the winding up is for genuine commercial reasons, and is not part of a scheme or arrangement the main purpose or one of the main purposes of which is the avoidance of tax, and

(b)

the company continues, during the winding up, to be a trading company.

(5)

References in this section to a company being “in administration” or “in receivership” are to be read in accordance with section 252 of ITA 2007.

F36576DThe control and independence requirement

(1)

The control element of the requirement is that—

(a)

the company must not control (whether on its own or together with any person connected with it) any company which is not a qualifying subsidiary of the company, and

(b)

no arrangements must be in existence by virtue of which the company could fail to meet paragraph (a) (whether at a time during the continuous period that is relevant for the purposes of section 576A(3) or otherwise).

(2)

The independence element of the requirement is that—

(a)

the company must not—

(i)

be a 51% subsidiary of another company, or

(ii)

be under the control of another company (or of another company and any other person connected with that other company), without being a 51% subsidiary of that other company, and

(b)

no arrangements must be in existence by virtue of which the company could fail to meet paragraph (a) (whether at a time during the continuous period that is relevant for the purposes of section 576A(3) or otherwise).

(3)

This section is subject to section 576J(3).

F37(3A)

Section 839 (connected persons) applies for the purposes of this section.

(4)

In this section—

“arrangements” includes any scheme, agreement or understanding, whether or not legally enforceable,

“control” is to be read as follows—

(a)

in subsection (1)(a), in accordance with section 416(2) to (6),

(b)

in subsection (2)(a), in accordance with section 840,

“qualifying subsidiary” is to be read in accordance with section 191 of ITA 2007.

F38576EThe qualifying subsidiaries requirement

(1)

The qualifying subsidiaries requirement is that any subsidiary that the company has must be a qualifying subsidiary of the company.

(2)

In this section “qualifying subsidiary” is to be read in accordance with section 191 of ITA 2007.

F39576FThe property managing subsidiaries requirement

(1)

The property managing subsidiaries requirement is that any property managing subsidiary that the company has must be a qualifying 90% subsidiary of the company.

(2)

In this section—

“property managing subsidiary” has the meaning given by section 188(2) of ITA 2007,

“qualifying 90% subsidiary” has the meaning given by section 190 of that Act.

F40576GThe gross assets requirement

(1)

The gross assets requirement in the case of a single company is that the value of the company's gross assets—

(a)

must not exceed £7 million immediately before the shares in respect of which the relief is claimed under this Chapter are issued, and

(b)

must not exceed £8 million immediately afterwards.

(2)

The gross assets requirement in the case of a parent company is that the value of the group assets—

(a)

must not exceed £7 million immediately before the shares in respect of which the relief is claimed under this Chapter are issued, and

(b)

must not exceed £8 million immediately afterwards.

(3)

The value of the group assets means the aggregate of the values of the gross assets of each of the members of the group, disregarding any that consist in rights against, or shares in or securities of, another member of the group.

(4)

In this section—

“group” means a parent company and its qualifying subsidiaries,

“parent company” means a company that has one or more qualifying subsidiaries,

“qualifying subsidiary” is to be read in accordance with section 191 of ITA 2007, and

“single company” means a company that does not have one or more qualifying subsidiaries.

F41576HThe unquoted status requirement

(1)

The unquoted status requirement is that, at the time (“the relevant time”) at which the shares in respect of which the relief is claimed under this Chapter are issued—

(a)

the company must be an unquoted company,

(b)

there must be no arrangements in existence for the company to cease to be an unquoted company, and

(c)

there must be no arrangements in existence for the company to become a subsidiary of another company (“the new company”) by virtue of an exchange of shares, or shares and securities, if—

(i)

section 576J applies in relation to the exchange, and

(ii)

arrangements have been made with a view to the new company ceasing to be an unquoted company.

(2)

The arrangements referred to in subsection (1)(b) and (c)(ii) do not include arrangements in consequence of which any shares, stocks, debentures or other securities of the company or the new company are at any subsequent time—

(a)

listed on a stock exchange that is a recognised stock exchange by virtue of an order made under section 1005 of ITA 2007, or

(b)

listed on an exchange, or dealt in by any means, designated by an order made for the purposes of section 184(3)(b) or (c) of that Act,

if the order was made after the relevant time.

(3)

In this section—

“arrangements” includes any scheme, agreement or understanding, whether or not legally enforceable,

“debenture” has the meaning given by section 744 of the Companies Act 1985,

“unquoted company” has the meaning given by section 184(2) of ITA 2007.

F42576IPower to amend requirements by Treasury order

The Treasury may by order make such amendments of sections 576B to 576H as they consider appropriate.

F43Qualifying trading companies: supplementary provisions

576JRelief after an exchange of shares for shares in another company

(1)

This section and section 576K apply in relation to shares if—

(a)

a company (“the new company”) in which the only issued shares are subscriber shares acquires all the shares (“old shares”) in another company (“the old company”),

(b)

the consideration for the old shares consists wholly of the issue of shares (“new shares”) in the new company,

(c)

the consideration for the new shares of each description consists wholly of old shares of the corresponding description,

(d)

new shares of each description are issued to the holders of old shares of the corresponding description in respect of and in proportion to their holdings, and

(e)

by virtue of section 127 of the 1992 Act as applied by section 135(3) of that Act (company reconstructions etc), the exchange of shares is not to be treated as involving a disposal of the old shares or an acquisition of the new shares.

In this subsection references to shares, except the first and that in the expression “subscriber shares”, include securities.

(2)

For the purposes of this Chapter the exchange of shares is not regarded as involving any disposal of the old shares or any acquisition of the new shares.

(3)

Nothing in section 576D (the control and independence requirement) applies in relation to such an exchange of shares, or shares and securities, as is mentioned in subsection (1), or arrangements with a view to such an exchange.

(4)

For the purposes of this section old shares and new shares are of a corresponding description if, on the assumption that they were shares in the same company, they would be of the same class and carry the same rights.

(5)

References in section 576K to “old shares”, “new shares”, “the old company” and “the new company” are to be read in accordance with this section.

F44576KSubstitution of new shares for old shares

(1)

Subsection (2) applies if, in the case of any new shares held by a company or by a nominee for a company, the old shares for which they were exchanged were shares that had been subscribed for by the company (“the investor”).

(2)

This Chapter has effect as if—

(a)

the new shares had been subscribed for by the investor at the time when, and for the amount for which, the old shares were subscribed for by the investor,

(b)

the new shares had been issued by the new company at the time when the old shares were issued to the investor by the old company, and

(c)

any requirements of this Chapter which were met at any time before the exchange by the old company had been met at that time by the new company.

(3)

Section 573(6) applies for the purposes of this section.

F45(4)

Nothing in subsection (2) applies in relation to section 195(7) of ITA 2007 as applied by section 576B(7) above for the purposes mentioned in section 576B(8).

F46Supplemental

576LInterpretation of Chapter

(1)

In this Chapter (subject to subsections (2) to (5))—

“excluded company” means a company which—

(a)

has a trade which consists wholly or mainly of dealing in land, in commodities or futures or in shares, securities or other financial instruments,

(b)

has a trade which is not carried on on a commercial basis and in such a way that profits in the trade can reasonably be expected to be realised,

(c)

is a holding company of a group other than a trading group, or

(d)

is a building society or a registered industrial and provident society,

“group” (except in sections 576B and 576G) means a company which has one or more 51% subsidiaries together with that or those subsidiaries,

“holding company” means a company whose business consists wholly or mainly in the holding of shares or securities of companies which are its 51% subsidiaries,

“investment company” has the meaning given by section 130 except that it does not include the holding company of a trading group,

“registered industrial and provident society” means a society registered or treated as registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 or the Industrial and Provident Societies Act (Northern Ireland) Act 1969,

“shares”—

(a)

includes stock, but

(b)

does not include shares or stock not forming part of a company's ordinary share capital,

“trading company” means a company other than an excluded company which is—

(a)

a company whose business consists wholly or mainly of the carrying on of a trade or trades, or

(b)

the holding company of a trading group, and

“trading group” means a group the business of whose members, when taken together, consists wholly or mainly in the carrying on of a trade or trades.

(2)

Except as provided by subsection (3), paragraph (b) of the definition of “shares” in subsection (1) does not apply in the definition of “excluded company” in subsection (1) or in section 576J(1) to (4).

(3)

Paragraph (b) of that definition applies in relation to the first reference to “shares” in section 576J(1).

(4)

The definition of “shares” in subsection (1) does not apply in sections 576B(5)(a), 576G(3) and 576H(1)(c) and (2).

(5)

For the purposes of the definition of “trading group” in subsection (1), any trade carried on by a subsidiary which is an excluded company is treated as not constituting a trade.