Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

755 Information relating to controlled foreign companies

(1) Where it appears to the Board that a company resident outside the United Kingdom (in this section referred to as a (“foreign subsidiary”) may be a controlled foreign company, the Board may, by notice given to any company which appears to them to be a controlling company of the foreign subsidiary, require that company to give to the Board, within such time (not being less than 30 days) as may be specified in the notice, such particulars (which may include details of documents) as may be so specified with respect to any matter concerning the foreign subsidiary, being particulars required by the Board for the purposes of this Chapter as being relevant to the affairs of the controlling company, the foreign subsidiary or any connected or associated company.

(2) In this section “controlling company”, in relation to a foreign subsidiary or any other company, means a company which is resident in the United Kingdom and has, alone or together with other persons so resident, control of the foreign subsidiary or, as the case may be, that other company.

(3) The Board may by notice given to a company which appears to them to be a controlling company in relation to a foreign subsidiary require that company to make available for inspection any relevant books, accounts, or other documents or records whatsoever of the company itself or, subject to subsection (6) below, of any other company, including the foreign subsidiary, in relation to which it appears to the Board to be a controlling company.

(4) In subsection (3) above “relevant” means relevant to—

(a) the computation of any profits of the foreign subsidiary; or

(b) the question whether a direction should be given under section 747(1) with respect to the foreign subsidiary or a connected or associated company or whether any such direction should be amended; or

(c) any question as to the amount of the chargeable profits or creditable tax for any accounting period of the foreign subsidiary or a connected or associated company; or

(d) any question as to the sum which, in accordance with section 747(4)(a), should be assessed on and recoverable from any person.

(5) In subsections (1) and (4) above “connected or associated company” means a controlled foreign company with which the foreign subsidiary or the controlling company is connected or associated.

(6) In any case where—

(a) under subsection (3) above a company is by notice required to make available for inspection any books, accounts, documents or records of a company other than itself, and

(b) it appears to the Board, on the application of the company, that the circumstances are such that the requirement ought not to have effect,

the Board shall direct that the company need not comply with the requirement.

(7) If, on an application under subsection (6) above, the Board refuse to give a direction under that subsection, the company concerned may, by notice given to the Board within 30 days after the refusal, appeal to the Special Commissioners who, if satisfied that the requirement in question ought in the circumstances not to have effect, may determine accordingly.