Finance Act 2000

5 (1) Schedule 18 to that Act (group relief: equity holders and profits or assets available for distribution) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 1 (meaning of equity holders), in sub-paragraphs (3)(d) and (5)(c), for “in the Official List of the Stock Exchange” substitute “on a recognised stock exchange”.

(3) In paragraph 2 (meaning of profits available for distribution), after sub-paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A) The total profits of a non-resident company arising in an accounting period shall be determined for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(a) above as if it were resident in the United Kingdom in that accounting period.”.

(4) In paragraph 4 (cases where rights to a distribution or assets are limited), after sub-paragraph (4) insert—

“(5) In determining in a case in which paragraph 5F below applies whether any rights in respect of dividend or interest or assets on a winding-up are limited as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) above, the limitations so mentioned shall be treated as not including so much of any limitation as has effect as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph.”.

(5) After paragraph 5E insert—

“5F (1) This paragraph has effect, in the cases specified in sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) below, for the following purposes (“the relevant purposes”)—

(a) the determination, in a case where the surrendering company or the claimant company is a non-resident company, of whether that company is a 75 per cent. or a 90 per cent. subsidiary of another company;

(b) the determination of a member’s share in a consortium in any case where the surrendering company or the claimant company is a non-resident company owned by the consortium.

(2) The first case in which this paragraph applies is where any of the equity holders—

(a) to whom the profit distribution is made, or

(b) who is entitled to participate in the notional winding-up of that company,

holds, as such an equity holder of the non-resident company, any shares or securities which carry rights in respect of dividend or interest or assets on a winding-up which have effect wholly or partly by reference to whether or not, or to what extent, the profits or assets distributed are referable to the non-resident company’s UK trade.

(3) The second case in which this paragraph applies is where—

(a) option arrangements (within the meaning of paragraph 5B above) exist at any time in the relevant accounting period; and

(b) the percentage which, in any of the states of affairs referred to in sub-paragraph (5) of that paragraph, is—

(i) the percentage of profits to which any of the equity holders of the non-resident company would be entitled on the profit distribution, or

(ii) the percentage of assets to which any of the equity holders of that company would be entitled on the notional winding-up,

would differ, at any of the times so referred to, according to whether or not, or to what extent, the profits or assets distributed are referable to the non-resident company’s UK trade.

(4) If the percentage of profits to which, on the profit distribution, a particular equity holder would be taken for the relevant purposes to be entitled would be less if the determination under paragraph 2(1) above were made on the basis specified in sub-paragraph (7) below, then that shall be the basis used for the relevant purposes in the case of that equity holder.

(5) If the percentage of assets to which, on the notional winding-up, a particular equity holder would be taken for the relevant purposes to be entitled would be less if the determination under paragraph 3(1) above were made on the basis specified in sub-paragraph (7) below, then that shall be the basis used for the relevant purposes in the case of that equity holder.

(6) If the percentage that falls to be taken for any of the purposes of section 403C or section 413(7) would, under any of paragraphs 4 to 5E above, be the lower or lowest of a number of percentages determined on different bases—

(a) each of the percentages falling to be compared for the purposes of that paragraph shall be determined both—

(i) on the basis specified in sub-paragraph (7) below, and

(ii) without making the assumption required for a determination on that basis;

and

(b) the comparison required by that paragraph, so far as made for the relevant purposes, shall be made using, in the case of each of the percentages to be compared, only the lower of the percentages determined under paragraph (a) above.

(7) That basis is the assumption—

(a) that the profit distribution or the distribution on the notional winding-up is confined to a distribution of profits or assets that are referable to the non-resident company’s UK trade; and

(b) that the amount of the distribution does not exceed whichever is the greater of £100 and the following amount—

(i) in the case of a profit distribution, the amount (if any) of so much of the company’s chargeable profits for the relevant accounting period as is referable to its UK trade; and

(ii) in the case of a distribution on a notional winding-up, its net UK assets;

and

(c) that none of the ordinary equity holders has an entitlement to a proportion of the profits or assets mentioned in paragraph (a) above that is any greater than the proportion of the distribution to which he would be entitled if—

(i) the assumptions specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) above were disregarded; but

(ii) it were assumed, where it is less, that the distribution is equal to £100.

(8) In sub-paragraph (7) above—

• “net UK assets”, in relation to a non-resident company, means the excess, if any, of the total amount of the assets of the company that are referable to its UK trade (as shown in the relevant balance sheet), over the total amount of those of its liabilities (as so shown) which are so referable and are not liabilities to equity holders as such; and

• “ordinary equity holder” means any equity holder whose entitlement on the profit distribution or the distribution on the notional winding-up does not differ according to whether or not, or the extent to which, the profits or assets distributed are referable to the non-resident company’s UK trade.

(9) In sub-paragraph (8) above “relevant balance sheet”, in relation to a company, means any balance sheet relating to its affairs as at the end of the relevant accounting period.

(10) For the purposes of this paragraph profits, assets or liabilities of a non-resident company shall be taken to be referable to its UK trade to the extent only that they—

(a) are attributable to, or used for the purposes of, activities the income and gains from which are, or (were there any) would be, brought into account in computing the company’s chargeable profits for any accounting period, and

(b) are not attributable to, or used for the purposes of, any activities which (within the meaning of section 403D) are made exempt from corporation tax for any accounting period by any double taxation arrangements.”.

(6) In paragraph 6 (indirect entitlements), for “5E” substitute “5F”.