Finance Act 1994

Miscellaneous

137 Enterprise investment scheme

(1) Schedule 15 to this Act shall have effect to revive Chapter III of Part VII of the Taxes Act 1988 (relief for investment in corporate trades) in relation to shares issued on or after 1st January 1994.

(2) That Chapter shall have effect in relation to such shares with the amendments made by that Schedule; and, in relation to such shares, that Chapter as so amended shall apply for the year 1993-94 and subsequent years of assessment.

(3) The [1992 c. 12.] Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 shall have effect with the amendments made by that Schedule.

138 Foreign income dividends

Schedule 16 to this Act (which contains provisions about foreign income dividends) shall have effect.

139 Taxation of incapacity benefit

(1) For the year 1995-96 and subsequent years of assessment incapacity benefit, except—

(a) benefit payable for an initial period of incapacity, and

(b) so much of any benefit as is attributable in any case to an increase in respect of a child,

shall be treated as income for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts and charged to income tax under Schedule E.

(2) Subsection (1) above shall not apply to incapacity benefit to which a person is entitled for any day of incapacity for work falling in a period of incapacity for work which is treated for the purposes of that benefit as having begun before 13th April 1995 if the part of that period which is treated as having fallen before that date includes a day for which that person was entitled to invalidity benefit.

(3) Incapacity benefit shall for the purposes of this section be a benefit in relation to which section 41 of the [1989 c. 26.] Finance Act 1989 (year of assessment in which benefit to be charged) applies.

(4) Enactments relating to the payment of incapacity benefit shall have effect subject to such provision as may be contained for the purposes of this section in regulations under section 203 of the Taxes Act 1988 (PAYE regulations).

(5) In this section—

• “incapacity benefit” means any benefit which by virtue of provisions contained in the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994 or any corresponding provisions made for Northern Ireland is to be known as incapacity benefit;

• “initial period of incapacity”, in relation to incapacity benefit, means any period for which that benefit is payable as short-term incapacity benefit at the rate which (apart from any increase or addition) is the lower of the rates applicable to short-term incapacity benefit; and

• “invalidity benefit” means invalidity benefit under Part II of the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 or under Part II of the [1992 c. 7.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.

140 Restriction on deduction from income

(1) Section 808 of the Taxes Act 1988 (restriction on deduction of interest or dividends from trading income) shall be amended as follows—

(a) for “a banking business, an insurance business or a business consisting wholly or partly in dealing in securities” there shall be substituted “a business”;

(b) for “or dividend” there shall be substituted “, dividend or royalties”;

(c) the words “In this section “securities” includes stocks and shares” shall be omitted.

(2) This section shall apply where it is sought to exclude receipts from income or profits of an accounting period beginning on or after 30th November 1993.

141 Expenditure involving crime

(1) Section 577A of the Taxes Act 1988 (certain expenditure involving crime not to be deducted and not to be included in expenses of management) shall be amended as follows.

(2) After subsection (1) there shall be inserted—

“(1A) In computing profits or gains chargeable to tax under Schedule A or Schedule D, no deduction shall be made for any expenditure incurred in making a payment induced by a demand constituting—

(a) the commission in England or Wales of the offence of blackmail under section 21 of the [1968 c. 60.] Theft Act 1968,

(b) the commission in Northern Ireland of the offence of blackmail under section 20 of the [1969 c. 16 (N.I.).] Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969, or

(c) the commission in Scotland of the offence of extortion.”

(3) In subsection (2) for “Such expenditure” there shall be substituted “Any expenditure mentioned in subsection (1) or (1A) above”.

(4) This section shall apply in relation to expenditure incurred on or after 30th November 1993.

142 Mortgage interest payable under deduction of tax: qualifying lenders

(1) In section 376 of the Taxes Act 1988 (qualifying lenders)—

(a) in subsection (4)(p), for “prescribed under subsection (5) below” there shall be substituted “for the time being registered under section 376A below” and for “Treasury” there shall be substituted “Board”; and

(b) subsection (5) shall be omitted.

(2) The following section shall be inserted in the Taxes Act 1988 after section 376—

“376A The register of qualifying lenders

(1) The Board shall maintain, and publish in such manner as they consider appropriate, a register for the purposes of section 376(4).

(2) If the Board are satisfied that an applicant for registration is entitled to be registered, they may register the applicant generally or in relation to any description of loan specified in the register, with effect from such date as may be so specified; and a body which is so registered shall become a qualifying lender in accordance with the terms of its registration.

(3) The registration of any body may be varied by the Board—

(a) where it is general, by providing for it to be in relation to a specified description of loan, or

(b) where it is in relation to a specified description of loan, by removing or varying the reference to that description of loan,

and where they do so, they shall give the body written notice of the variation and of the date from which it is to have effect.

(4) If it appears to the Board at any time that a body which is registered under this section would not be entitled to be registered if it applied for registration at that time, the Board may by written notice given to the body cancel its registration with effect from such date as may be specified in the notice.

(5) The date specified in a notice under subsection (3) or (4) above shall not be earlier than the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which the notice is served.

(6) Any body which is aggrieved by the failure of the Board to register it under this section, or by the variation or cancellation of its registration, may, by notice given to the Board before the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which the body is notified of the Board’s decision, require the matter to be determined by the Special Commissioners; and the Special Commissioners shall thereupon hear and determine the matter in like manner as an appeal.”

(3) Any body which is, immediately before the date on which this Act is passed, a prescribed body for the purposes of section 376 of the Taxes Act 1988 (by virtue of an order made under subsection (5) of that section) shall be entitled to be entered in the register maintained under section 376A of that Act as a qualifying lender except that if it was, immediately before that date, a qualifying lender only in relation to such description of loan as was specified in the order, it shall be entitled to be entered in the register as a qualifying lender only in relation to that description of loan.

(4) Until such time as the Board enter any such body in the register, that body shall be deemed to have been registered in accordance with its entitlement.

143 Premiums referred to pension business

(1) The Taxes Act 1988 shall be amended as follows.

(2) In section 431(4) (insurance companies: premiums to be referred to pension business) in paragraph (d) (annuity contracts)—

(a) the words “approved by the Board and” shall be omitted;

(b) after “as defined by section 612(1)” there shall be inserted “and falling within section 431AA”.

(3) In section 431(4) in paragraph (e) (annuity contracts entered into in substitution)—

(a) the words “approved by the Board” shall be omitted;

(b) after “paragraph (d) above” there shall be inserted “and by means of which relevant benefits as defined by section 612(1) and falling within section 431AA (but no other benefits) are secured”.

(4) The following section shall be inserted after section 431—

“431AA Relevant benefits for purposes of section 431(4)(d) and (e)

(1) Subsection (2) below applies where—

(a) section 431(4)(d)(i) applies, or

(b) section 431(4)(e) applies and the contract within section 431(4)(d) was entered into for the purposes of a scheme falling within section 431(4)(d)(i).

(2) In such a case, relevant benefits fall within this section if they correspond with benefits that could be provided by a scheme approved under Chapter I of Part XIV, and for this purpose—

(a) a hypothetical scheme (rather than any particular scheme) is to be taken, and

(b) benefits provided by a scheme directly (rather than by means of an annuity contract) are to be taken.

(3) Subsection (4) below applies where—

(a) subsection 431(4)(d)(ii) applies, or

(b) section 431(4)(e) applies and the contract within section 431(4)(d) was entered into for the purposes of a scheme falling within section 431(4)(d)(ii).

(4) In such a case, relevant benefits fall within this section if they correspond with benefits that could be provided by a scheme which is a relevant statutory scheme for the purposes of Chapter I of Part XIV, and for this purpose—

(a) a hypothetical scheme (rather than any particular scheme) is to be taken, and

(b) benefits provided by a scheme directly (rather than by means of an annuity contract) are to be taken.

(5) Subsection (6) below applies where—

(a) section 431(4)(d)(iii) applies, or

(b) section 431(4)(e) applies and the contract within section 431(4)(d) was entered into for the purposes of a fund falling within section 431(4)(d)(iii).

(6) In such a case, relevant benefits fall within this section if they correspond with benefits that could be provided by a fund to which section 608 applies, and for this purpose—

(a) a hypothetical fund (rather than any particular fund) is to be taken, and

(b) benefits provided by a fund directly (rather than by means of an annuity contract) are to be taken.”

(5) This section shall apply in relation to an annuity contract entered into on or after 1st July 1994; and in the case of an annuity contract entered into in substitution for another it is immaterial when that other was entered into.

144 Debts released in voluntary arrangement: relief from tax

(1) In the Taxes Act 1988, in section 74 (general rules as to deductions not allowable), for paragraph (j) (debts not allowable except in certain circumstances) there shall be substituted—

“(j) any debts except—

(i) a bad debt proved to be such;

(ii) a debt or part of a debt released by the creditor wholly and exclusively for the purposes of his trade, profession or vocation as part of a relevant arrangement or compromise; and

(iii) a doubtful debt to the extent estimated to be bad, meaning, in the case of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the debtor, the debt except to the extent that any amount may reasonably be expected to be received on the debt;”.

(2) The provisions of that section shall become subsection (1) of that section and after that subsection there shall be inserted—

“(2) In paragraph (j) of subsection (1) above “relevant arrangement or compromise” means—

(a) a voluntary arrangement which has taken effect under or by virtue of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 or the [S.I. 1989/2405 (N.I. 19).] Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989; or

(b) a compromise or arrangement which has taken effect under section 425 of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 or Article 418 of the [S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I. 6).] Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.”

(3) In the Taxes Act 1988—

(a) in section 94 (debts deducted and subsequently released) after the word “released” where it first occurs, and

(b) in section 103(4)(b) (debts deducted before, but released after, discontinuance of trade, etc.) after the word “released”,

there shall be inserted “otherwise than as part of a relevant arrangement or compromise”.

(4) The provisions of section 94 of the Taxes Act 1988 shall become subsection (1) of that section and after that subsection there shall be inserted—

“(2) In subsection (1) above “relevant arrangement or compromise” has the same meaning as in section 74.”

(5) After section 103(4) of the Taxes Act 1988 there shall be inserted—

“(4A) In subsection (4)(b) above “relevant arrangement or compromise” has the same meaning as in section 74.”

(6) Subsection (1) above shall have effect, for the purposes of determining (in computing the amount of profits or gains to be charged under Case I or Case II of Schedule D) whether any sum should be deducted in respect of any debt, in relation to debts—

(a) proved to be bad,

(b) released as part of—

(i) a voluntary arrangement which has taken effect under or by virtue of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 or the [S.I. 1989/2405 (N.I. 19).] Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, or,

(ii) a compromise or arrangement which has taken effect under section 425 of the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 or Article 418 of the [S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I. 6).] Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, and

(c) estimated to be bad,

if the proof, release or estimation occurs on or after 30th November 1993.

(7) Subsection (3) above shall have effect in relation to the release on or after 30th November 1993 of the whole or any part of any debt.

145 Relief for business donations

(1) In sections 79(11) and 79A(7) of the Taxes Act 1988 (contributions to local enterprise agencies, training and enterprise councils and local enterprise companies made before 1st April 1995 to be deductible as expenses), for “1995” (in both places) there shall be substituted “2000”.

(2) Section 79A of that Act shall be amended as follows.

(3) In subsection (1), after “training and enterprise council” there shall be inserted “business link organisation” and in subsection (3) after “council” there shall be inserted “organisation”.

(4) In subsection (5), before paragraph (a) there shall be inserted—

“(aa) “business link organisation” means any person authorised by or on behalf of the Secretary of State to use a service mark (within the meaning of the [1984 c. 19.] Trade Marks (Amendment) Act 1984) designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this paragraph”.

(5) In subsection (7), after “1st April 1990” there shall be inserted “or, in the case of a contribution to a business link organisation, 30th November 1993”.

146 Minor corrections

Schedule 17 to this Act (which corrects various mistakes made in or introduced into the Taxes Act 1988) shall have effect.