Insertion of section 444ABBA

14.  After section 444ABB (retained assets) insert—

444ABBA    Transfers of business: election for transferee to pay tax of transferor

(1) This section applies where an insurance business transfer scheme has effect to transfer long-term business from one person (“the transferor”) to another (“the transferee”).

(2) If the transferor and the transferee jointly elect, the transferee (and not the transferor) is chargeable to any amount of additional corporation tax to which the transferor would otherwise be chargeable by virtue of section 444AB(4) in relation to relevant non-transferred assets.

(3) An election under subsection (2) above—

(a)is to be irrevocable, and

(b)is to be made by notice to an officer of Revenue and Customs no later than the end of the period of 90 days beginning with the day following the transfer date,

and a copy of the notice containing the election must accompany the tax return of the transferee for the first accounting period ending after the transfer.

Paragraphs 54 to 60 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 (claims and elections for corporation tax purposes) do not apply to such an election.

(4) Where an election under subsection (2) above has been made, the transferor must inform the transferee of—

(a)the amount of any additional corporation tax to which the transferor considers the election to apply, and

(b)the day on which that tax is due and payable,

no later than the end of the period of 8 months beginning with the day following the transfer date.

(5) Tax chargeable on the transferee by virtue of an election under subsection (2) above—

(a)is due in accordance with section 59D of the Management Act(1) on the day on which it would have been due if no election had been made, and

(b)for the purposes of that section, is to be treated as tax payable by the transferor (and not as tax payable by the transferee).

(6) See section 444AA for the meaning of “the transfer date” in this section.

(1)

1970 c. 7; section 59D was substituted by paragraph 29(2) of Schedule 19 to the Finance Act 1998 and amended by paragraph 2 of Schedule 12 to the Finance Act 2004 (c. 12).