Finance Act 2002 (c. 23)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(ii) is not a member of the same group as the acquiring company.

(3) Activities do not qualify as trading activities under sub-paragraph (2)(c) or (d) unless the acquisition is made, or (as the case may be) the group member in question starts to carry on the trade, as soon as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

(4) The reference in sub-paragraph (2)(d) to the acquisition of a significant interest in the share capital of another company is to an acquisition of ordinary share capital in the other company--

(a) such as would make that company a member of the same group as the acquiring company, or

(b) such as would give the acquiring company a qualifying shareholding in a joint venture company without making the joint venture company a member of the same group as the acquiring company.

(5) For the purposes of this paragraph the activities of the members of the group shall be treated as one business (with the result that activities are disregarded to the extent that they are intra-group activities).

Meaning of "trading subgroup"

22 (1) In this Schedule "trading subgroup" means a subgroup--

(a) one or more of whose members carry on trading activities, and

(b) the activities of whose members, taken together, do not include to a substantial extent activities other than trading activities.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) "trading activities" means activities carried on by a member of the subgroup--

(a) in the course of, or for the purposes of, a trade being carried on by any member of the subgroup,

(b) for the purposes of a trade that any member of the subgroup is preparing to carry on,

(d) with a view to any member of the subgroup acquiring a significant interest in the share capital of another company that--

(i) is a trading company or the holding company of a trading group or trading subgroup, and

(ii) is not a member of the same group as the acquiring company.

(3) Activities do not qualify as trading activities under sub-paragraph (2)(c) or (d) unless the acquisition is made, or (as the case may be) the subgroup member in question starts to carry on the trade, as soon as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

(4) The reference in sub-paragraph (2)(d) to the acquisition of a significant interest in the share capital of another company is to an acquisition of ordinary share capital in the other company--

(a) such as would make that company a member of the same subgroup as the acquiring company, or

(b) such as would give the acquiring company a qualifying shareholding in a joint venture company without making the two companies members of the same group.

(5) For the purposes of this paragraph the activities of the members of the subgroup shall be treated as one business (with the result that activities are disregarded to the extent that they are intra-subgroup activities).

Treatment of holdings in joint venture companies

23 (1) This paragraph applies where a company ("the company") has a qualifying shareholding in a joint venture company.

(2) In determining whether the company is a trading company--

(a) its holding of shares in the joint venture company shall be disregarded, and

(b) it shall be treated as carrying on an appropriate proportion--

(i) of the activities of the joint venture company, or

(ii) where the joint venture company is a holding company, of the activities of that company and its 51% subsidiaries.

This sub-paragraph does not apply if the company is a member of a group and the joint venture company is a member of the same group.

(3) In determining whether the company is a member of a trading group or the holding company of a trading group--

(a) every holding of shares in the joint venture company by a member of the group having a qualifying shareholding in that company shall be disregarded, and

(b) each member of the group having a qualifying shareholding in the joint venture company shall be treated as carrying on an appropriate proportion--

(i) of the activities of the joint venture company, or

(ii) where the joint venture company is a holding company, of the activities of that company and its 51% subsidiaries.

This sub-paragraph does not apply if the joint venture company is a member of the group.

(4) In determining whether the company is the holding company of a trading subgroup--

(a) every holding of shares in the joint venture company by the company and any of its 51% subsidiaries having a qualifying shareholding in the joint venture company shall be disregarded, and

(b) the company and each of its 51% subsidiaries having a qualifying shareholding in the joint venture company shall be treated as carrying on an appropriate proportion--

(i) of the activities of the joint venture company, or

(ii) where the joint venture company is a holding company, of the activities of that company and its 51% subsidiaries.

This sub-paragraph does not apply if the joint venture company is a member of the same group as the company.

(5) In sub-paragraphs (2)(b), (3)(b) and (4)(b) "an appropriate proportion" means a proportion corresponding to the percentage of the ordinary share capital of the joint venture company held by the company concerned.

(6) In this paragraph "shares", in relation to a joint venture company, includes securities of that company or an interest in shares in or securities of that company.

(7) For the purposes of this paragraph the activities of a joint venture company that is a holding company and its 51% subsidiaries shall be treated as a single business (so that activities are disregarded to the extent that they are intra-group activities or, as the case may be, intra-subgroup activities).

Meaning of "joint venture company" and "qualifying shareholding"

24 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule a company is a "joint venture company" if, and only if--

(a) it is a trading company or the holding company of a trading group or trading subgroup, and

(b) there are five or fewer persons who between them hold 75% or more of its ordinary share capital.

In determining whether there are five or fewer such persons as are mentioned in paragraph (b), the members of a group are treated as if they were a single company.

(2) For the purposes of this Schedule--

(a) a company that is not a member of a group has a "qualifying shareholding" in a joint venture company if, and only if, it holds shares or an interest in shares in the joint venture company by virtue of which it holds 10% or more of that company's ordinary share capital;

(b) a company that is a member of a group has a "qualifying shareholding" in a joint venture company if, and only if--

(i) it holds ordinary share capital of the joint venture company, and

(ii) the members of the group between them hold 10% or more of the ordinary share capital of that company.

Effect in relation to company invested in of earlier company reconstruction, demerger etc

25 The provisions of--

(a) paragraph 14 (effect of earlier company reconstruction etc), and

(b) paragraph 15 (effect of earlier demerger),

have effect in relation to the requirements of paragraph 19 (requirements in relation to company invested in) as they have effect in relation to the requirement of paragraph 7 (the substantial shareholding requirement).

Part 4 Interpretation

Meaning of "company", "group" and related expressions

26 (1) In this Schedule--

(a) "company" has the meaning given by section 170(9); and

(b) references to a group, or to membership of a group, shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of section 170 read as if "51 per cent" were substituted for "75 per cent".

(2) References in this Schedule to a "subgroup" are to companies that would form a group but for the fact that one of them is a 51% subsidiary of another company.

(3) In this Schedule "holding company"--

(a) in relation to a group, means the company described in section 170 as the principal company of the group;

(b) in relation to a subgroup, means a company that would be the holding company of a group but for being a 51% subsidiary of another company.

(4) In this Schedule "51% subsidiary" has the meaning given by section 838 of the Taxes Act.

In applying that section for the purposes of this Schedule, any share capital of a registered industrial and provident society shall be treated as ordinary share capital.

(5) References in this Schedule to a "group" or "subsidiary" shall be construed with any necessary modifications where applied to a company incorporated under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom.

Meaning of "trade"

27 In this Schedule "trade" means anything that--

(a) is a trade, profession or vocation, within the meaning of the Income Tax Acts, and

(b) is conducted on a commercial basis with a view to the realisation of profits.

Meaning of "twelve-month period"

28 For the purposes of this Schedule a "twelve-month period" means a period ending with the day before the first anniversary of the day with which, or in the course of which, the period began.

Meaning of "interest in shares"

29 (1) References in this Schedule to an interest in shares are to an interest as a co-owner of shares.

(2) It does not matter whether the shares are owned jointly or in common, or whether the interests of the co-owners are equal.

Meaning of "asset related to shares"

30 (1) This paragraph explains what is meant by an asset related to shares in a company.

(2) An asset is related to shares in a company if it is--

(a) an option to acquire or dispose of shares or an interest in shares in that company, or

(b) a security to which are attached rights by virtue of which the holder is or may become entitled to acquire or dispose of (whether by conversion or exchange or otherwise)--

(i) shares or an interest in shares in that company, or

(ii) an option to acquire or dispose of shares or an interest in shares in that company, or

(iii) another security falling within this paragraph, or

(d) an interest in, or option over, any such option or security as is mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), or

(e) any interest in, or option over, any such interest or option as is mentioned in paragraph (d) or this paragraph.

(3) In determining whether a security is within sub-paragraph (2)(b), no account shall be taken--

(a) of any rights attached to the security other than rights relating, directly or indirectly, to shares of the company in question, or

(b) of rights as regards which, at the time the security came into existence, there was no more than a negligible likelihood that they would in due course be exercised to a significant extent.

(4) The references in this paragraph to an interest in a security or option have a meaning corresponding to that given by paragraph 29 in relation to an interest in shares.

Index of defined expressions

31 In this Schedule the expressions listed below are defined or otherwise explained by the provisions indicated:

asset related to shares	paragraph 30
company	paragraph 26(1)(a)
company invested in	paragraph 1
51% subsidiary	paragraph 26(4) and (5)
group (and member of group)	paragraph 26(1)(b) and (5)
holding company	paragraph 26(3)
interest in shares	paragraph 29
investing company	paragraph 1
joint venture company	paragraph 24(1)
qualifying shareholding (in joint venture company)	paragraph 24(2)
subgroup	paragraph 26(2)
trade	paragraph 27
trading company	paragraph 20
trading group	paragraph 21
trading subgroup	paragraph 22
twelve-month period	paragraph 28

Part 5 Consequential provisions

Meaning of "chargeable shares" or "chargeable asset"

32 Any exemption conferred by this Schedule shall be disregarded in determining whether shares are "chargeable shares", or an asset is a "chargeable asset", for the purposes of any enactment relating to corporation tax or capital gains tax.

Negligible value claims

33 (1) This paragraph applies where--

(a) a company makes a claim under section 24(2) (assets of negligible value) in relation to shares held by it, and

(b) by virtue of this Schedule any loss accruing to the company on a disposal of the shares at the time of the claim would not be an allowable loss.

(2) Where this paragraph applies the company may not exercise the option under section 24(2) to specify a time earlier than the time of the claim as the time when the shares are treated as sold and reacquired by virtue of that subsection.

(3) This paragraph applies to--

(a) an interest in shares in a company, or

(b) an asset related to shares in a company,

as it applies to shares in that company.

Reorganisations etc: deemed accrual of chargeable gain or allowable loss held over on earlier transaction

34 (1) The exemptions conferred by this Schedule do not apply to or affect a chargeable gain or allowable loss deemed to accrue on a disposal by virtue of section 116(10)(b) (reorganisations, conversions and reconstructions: deemed accrual of gain or loss held over on earlier transaction).

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply where the relevant earlier transaction was a deemed disposal and reacquisition under section 92(7) of the Finance Act 1996 (convertible securities etc).

Recovery of charge postponed on transfer of assets to non-resident company

35 (1) This paragraph applies where--

(a) a company disposes of an asset in circumstances falling within section 140(4) (recovery of charge postponed on transfer of assets to non-resident company), and

(b) by virtue of this Schedule any gain accruing to the company on the disposal would not be a chargeable gain.

(2) Where this paragraph applies the amount by which the consideration received on the disposal would be treated as increased by virtue of section 140(4) shall instead be treated as accruing to the company, at the time of the disposal, as a chargeable gain to which this Schedule does not apply.

(3) Any reference in section 140 to an amount being brought or taken into account under or in accordance with subsection (4) of that section includes a reference to an amount being treated, by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) above, as accruing as a chargeable gain.

Appropriation of asset to trading stock

36 (1) Where--

(a) an asset acquired by a company otherwise than as trading stock of a trade carried on by it is appropriated by the company for the purposes of the trade as trading stock (whether on the commencement of the trade or otherwise), and

(b) if the company had then sold the asset for its market value, a chargeable gain or allowable loss would have accrued to the company but for an exemption conferred by this Schedule,

the company is treated for the purposes of the enactments relating to chargeable gains as if it had thereby disposed of the asset for its market value.

(2) Section 173 (transfers within a group: trading stock) applies in relation to this paragraph as it applies in relation to section 161 (appropriations to and from stock).

Recovery of held-over gain on claim for gifts relief

37 (1) This paragraph applies where--

(a) a company disposes of an asset,

(b) the expenditure allowable in computing a gain or loss on that disposal falls to be reduced because of a claim for relief under section 165 (gifts relief) in relation to an earlier disposal, and

(c) by virtue of this Schedule any gain accruing to the company on the disposal mentioned in paragraph (a) would not be a chargeable gain.

(2) Where this paragraph applies the amount of the held-over gain, or an appropriate proportion of it, shall be treated as accruing to the company, at the time of the disposal mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a), as a chargeable gain to which this Schedule does not apply.

(3) An "appropriate proportion" means a proportion determined on a just and reasonable basis having regard to the subject matter of the disposal mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a) and the subject matter of the earlier disposal that was the subject of the claim for relief under section 165.

(4) In this paragraph "held-over gain" has the same meaning as in section 165.

Degrouping: time when deemed sale and reacquisition treated as taking place

38 (1) Where--

(a) a company, as a result of ceasing at any time ("the time of degrouping") to be a member of a group, is treated by section 179(3) as having sold and immediately reacquired an asset, and

(b) if the company owning the asset at the time of degrouping had disposed of it immediately before that time, any gain accruing on the disposal would by virtue of this Schedule not have been a chargeable gain,

section 179(3) shall have effect as if it provided for the deemed sale and reacquisition to be treated as taking place immediately before the time of degrouping.

(2) Where--

(a) a company, as a result of ceasing at any time ("the relevant time") to satisfy the conditions in section 179(7), is treated by section 179(6) as having sold and immediately reacquired an asset, and

(b) if the company owning the asset at the relevant time had disposed of it immediately before that time, any gain accruing on the disposal would by virtue of this Schedule not have been a chargeable gain,

section 179(6) shall have effect as if it provided for the deemed sale and reacquisition to be treated as taking place immediately before the relevant time.

(3) Any reference in this paragraph to a disposal or other event taking place immediately before the time of degrouping or the relevant time is to its taking place immediately before that time but on the same day.

Effect of FOREX matching regulations

39 (1) No gain or loss shall be treated as arising under the FOREX matching regulations on a disposal on which by virtue of this Schedule any gain would not be a chargeable gain.

(2) The "FOREX matching regulations" means any regulations made under Schedule 15 to the Finance Act 1993 (exchange gains and losses: alternative method of calculation). " .

Part 2 Consequential amendments

Degrouping: time of accrual of chargeable gain or allowable loss

2 In section 179(4) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12) (deemed sale and reacquisition on company ceasing to be member of group: time when chargeable gain or allowable loss treated as accruing), for "which, apart from this subsection, would accrue" substitute "accruing".

Treatment of furnished holiday lettings

3 (1) Section 241 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (furnished holiday lettings) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (3) (commercial letting of furnished holiday accommodation to be treated as trade for certain purposes), for the opening words substitute--

" Subject to subsections (4) to (8) below, for the purposes of the provisions mentioned in subsection (3A) below-- " .

(3) After that subsection insert--

" (3A) The provisions referred to in subsection (3) above are--

sections 152 to 157 (roll-over relief on replacement of business asset),
section 165 (gifts relief),
Section 253 (relief for loans to traders),
Schedule A1 (taper relief),
Schedule 6 (retirement relief etc), and
Schedule 7AC (exemptions for disposals by companies with substantial shareholding). " .

(4) In subsection (4) for "sections mentioned in subsection (3)" substitute "provisions mentioned in subsection (3A)".

Overseas life insurance companies

4 In Schedule 7B of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12) (modification of Act in relation to overseas life insurance companies), after paragraph 15 add--

" 16 In Schedule 7AC, in paragraph 3(2)(c)(ii), the words "section 11(2)(b), (c) or (d) of the Taxes Act" shall be treated as substituted for the words "section 10(3)". " .

Corporate venturing scheme

5 In Schedule 15 to the Finance Act 2000 (c. 17) (the corporate venturing scheme), in paragraphs 84(1) and 85(1) after "(see paragraph 83" insert "and paragraph 4 of Schedule 7AC to the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992".

Section 45

SCHEDULE 9 Chargeable gains: share exchanges and company reconstructions

Part 1 Provisions replacing sections 135 and 136 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992

Share exchanges

1 For section 135 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (exchange of securities for those in another company) substitute--

" 135 Exchange of securities for those in another company

(1) This section applies in the following circumstances where a company ("company B") issues shares or debentures to a person in exchange for shares in or debentures of another company ("company A").

(2) The circumstances are:

Case 1

Where company B holds, or in consequence of the exchange will hold, more than 25% of the ordinary share capital of company A.

Case 2

Where company B issues the shares or debentures in exchange for shares as the result of a general offer--

(a)

made to members of company A or any class of them (with or without exceptions for persons connected with company B), and

(b)

made in the first instance on a condition such that if it were satisfied company B would have control of company A.

Case 3

Where company B holds, or in consequence of the exchange will hold, the greater part of the voting power in company A.

(3) Where this section applies, sections 127 to 131 (share reorganisations etc) apply with the necessary adaptations as if company A and company B were the same company and the exchange were a reorganisation of its share capital.

(4) In this section "ordinary share capital" has the meaning given by section 832(1) of the Taxes Act and also includes--

(a) in relation to a unit trust scheme, any rights that are treated by section 99(1)(b) of this Act (application of Act to unit trust schemes) as shares in a company, and

(b) in relation to a company that has no share capital, any interests in the company possessed by members of the company.

(5) This section applies in relation to a company that has no share capital as if references to shares in or debentures of the company included any interests in the company possessed by members of the company.

(6) This section has effect subject to section 137(1) (exchange must be for bona fide commercial reasons and not part of tax avoidance scheme). " .

Scheme of reconstruction involving issue of securities

2 For section 136 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12) (reconstruction or amalgamation involving issue of securities) substitute--

" 136 Scheme of reconstruction involving issue of securities

(1) This section applies where--

(a) an arrangement between a company ("company A") and--

(i) the persons holding shares in or debentures of the company, or

(ii) where there are different classes of shares in or debentures of the company, the persons holding any class of those shares or debentures,

is entered into for the purposes of, or in connection with, a scheme of reconstruction, and

(b) under the arrangement--

(i) another company ("company B") issues shares or debentures to those persons in respect of and in proportion to (or as nearly as may be in proportion to) their relevant holdings in company A, and

(ii) the shares in or debentures of company A comprised in relevant holdings are retained by those persons or are cancelled or otherwise extinguished.

(2) Where this section applies--

(a) those persons are treated as exchanging their relevant holdings in company A for the shares or debentures held by them in consequence of the arrangement, and

(b) sections 127 to 131 (share reorganisations etc) apply with the necessary adaptations as if company A and company B were the same company and the exchange were a reorganisation of its share capital.

For this purpose shares in or debentures of company A comprised in relevant holdings that are retained are treated as if they had been cancelled and replaced by a new issue.

(3) Where a reorganisation of the share capital of company A is carried out for the purposes of the scheme of reconstruction, the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) apply in relation to the position after the reorganisation.

(4) In this section--

(a) "scheme of reconstruction" has the meaning given by Schedule 5AA to this Act;

(b) references to "relevant holdings" of shares in or debentures of company A are--

(i) where there is only one class of shares in or debentures of the company, to holdings of shares in or debentures of the company, and

(ii) where there are different classes of shares in or debentures of the company, to holdings of a class of shares or debentures that is involved in the scheme of reconstruction (within the meaning of paragraph 2 of Schedule 5AA);

(c) references to shares or debentures being retained include their being retained with altered rights or in an altered form, whether as the result of reduction, consolidation, division or otherwise; and

(d) any reference to a reorganisation of a company's share capital is to a reorganisation within the meaning of section 126.

(6) This section has effect subject to section 137(1) (scheme of reconstruction must be for bona fide commercial reasons and not part of tax avoidance scheme). " .

Meaning of "scheme of reconstruction"

3 After Schedule 5A to the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 insert--

" SCHEDULE 5AA Meaning of "scheme of reconstruction"

Introductory

1 In section 136 "scheme of reconstruction" means a scheme of merger, division or other restructuring that meets the first and second, and either the third or the fourth, of the following conditions.

First condition: issue of ordinary share capital

2 The first condition is that the scheme involves the issue of ordinary share capital of a company ("the successor company") or of more than one company ("the successor companies")--

(a) to holders of ordinary share capital of another company ("the original company") or, where there are different classes of ordinary share capital of that company, to holders of one or more classes of ordinary share capital of that company (the classes "involved in the scheme of reconstruction"), or

(b) to holders of ordinary share capital of more than one other company ("the original companies") or, where there are different classes of ordinary share capital of one or more of the original company or companies, to holders of ordinary share capital of any of those companies or of one or more classes of ordinary share capital of any of those companies (the classes "involved in the scheme of reconstruction"),

and does not involve the issue of ordinary share capital of the successor company, or (as the case may be) any of the successor companies, to anyone else.

Second condition: equal entitlement to new shares

3 (1) The second condition is that under the scheme the entitlement of any person to acquire ordinary share capital of the successor company or companies by virtue of holding relevant shares, or relevant shares of any class, is the same as that of any other person holding such shares or shares of that class.

(2) For this purpose "relevant shares" means shares comprised--

(a) where there is one original company, in the ordinary share capital of that company or, as the case may be, in the ordinary share capital of that company of a class involved in the scheme of reconstruction;

(b) where there is more than one original company, in the ordinary share capital of any of those companies or, as the case may be, in the ordinary share capital of any of those companies of a class involved in the scheme of reconstruction.

Third condition: continuity of business

4 (1) The third condition is that the effect of the restructuring is--

(a) where there is one original company, that the business or substantially the whole of the business carried on by the company is carried on--

(i) by a successor company which is not the original company, or

(ii) by two or more successor companies (which may include the original company);

(b) where there is more than one original company, that all or part of the business or businesses carried on by one or more of the original companies is carried on by a different company, and the whole or substantially the whole of the businesses carried on by the original companies are carried on--

(i) where there is one successor company, by that company (which may be one of the original companies), or

(ii) where there are two or more successor companies, by those companies (which may be the same as the original companies or include any of those companies).

(2) The reference in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii) to the whole or substantially the whole of a business, or businesses, being carried on by two or more companies includes the case where the activities of those companies taken together embrace the whole or substantially the whole of the business, or businesses, in question.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph a business carried on by a company that is under the control of another company is treated as carried on by the controlling company as well as by the controlled company.

Section 840 of the Taxes Act (meaning of "control") applies for the purposes of this sub-paragraph.

(4) For the purposes of this paragraph the holding and management of assets that are retained by the original company, or any of the original companies, for the purpose of making a capital distribution in respect of shares in the company shall be disregarded.

In this sub-paragraph "capital distribution" has the same meaning as in section 122.

Fourth condition: compromise or arrangement with members

5 The fourth condition is that--

(a) the scheme is carried out in pursuance of a compromise or arrangement--

(i) under section 425 of the Companies Act 1985 or Article 418 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, or

(ii) under any corresponding provision of the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, and

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