Finance Act 1993 (c. 34)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(a) for an accrual period constituting or falling within the accounting period, and

(b) as regards a long-term capital asset or a long-term capital liability;

and the reference here to an exchange gain is to an exchange gain of a trade or an exchange gain of part of a trade or a non-trading exchange gain.

(2) This section does not apply unless an amount is available for relief under this section for the accounting period.

(3) The company may claim that--

(a) the gain, or part of it, shall be treated in accordance with section 140(3) below, and

(b) an amount shall be treated in accordance with section 140(4) to (10) below as regards the asset or liability.

(4) The claim must--

(a) stipulate the amount of the gain or part to be treated as mentioned in subsection (3)(a) above;

(b) stipulate the amount to be treated as mentioned in subsection (3)(b) above;

(5) The following rules apply to a claim--

(a) only one claim may be made as regards an accounting period, but where this section applies in relation to two or more gains which would accrue to a company for an accrual period or accrual periods constituting or falling within the accounting period the claim may be made in relation to more than one of the gains;

(b) the amount stipulated under subsection (4)(b) above as regards an asset or liability must be the same as, and must be expressed in the same currency as, the amount of the gain or part stipulated under subsection (4)(a) above as regards the asset or liability;

(c) the amount (or total of the amounts) stipulated under subsection (4)(a) above as regards an accounting period must not exceed the amount available for relief under this section for the accounting period.

(6) A claim may not be made or withdrawn as regards an accounting period if--

(a) the company has been assessed to corporation tax for the period, and

(b) the assessment has become final and conclusive;

but the preceding provisions of this subsection do not apply if the claim or withdrawal is made before the expiry of the period of two years beginning with the end of the accounting period.

(7) In a case where--

(a) the period of six years beginning with the end of an accounting period expires, and

(b) no assessment of the company to corporation tax for the accounting period has become final and conclusive,

a claim may not be made or withdrawn as regards that accounting period.

(8) In a case where--

(a) subsection (6) or (7) above would otherwise prevent a claim being made in a particular case, and

(b) the Board make a determination under this subsection,

a claim may be made on or before such day as the Board allow.

140 Deferral of unrealised gains

(1) This section applies where a claim is made under section 139 above as regards an asset or liability.

(2) For the purposes of this section--

(a) the first accrual period is the accrual period mentioned in section 139(1) above, and

(b) the second accrual period is the accrual period next occurring as regards the asset or liability while it is held or owed by the company.

(3) Any gain or part whose amount is stipulated under section 139(4)(a) above as regards the asset or liability shall be treated as not accruing as regards the asset or liability for the first accrual period.

(4) If throughout the second accrual period the asset is held, or the liability is owed, by the company solely for the purposes of a trade or part of a trade--

(a) an exchange gain of the trade or part for the accrual period shall be treated as accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability,

(b) the amount of the gain shall be the amount stipulated under section 139(4)(b) above as regards the asset or liability, and

(5) If throughout the second accrual period the asset is held, or the liability is owed, by the company solely for purposes other than trading purposes--

(a) a non-trading exchange gain for the accrual period shall be treated as accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability,

(b) the amount of the gain shall be the amount stipulated under section 139(4)(b) above as regards the asset or liability, and

(6) Where as regards the second accrual period neither subsection (4) nor subsection (5) above applies--

(a) the amount stipulated under section 139(4)(b) above as regards the asset or liability shall be apportioned for the period on a just and reasonable basis, and

(b) subsections (7) and (8) below shall apply.

(7) Where for the second accrual period part of an amount is attributed to a trade or part of a trade under subsection (6) above--

(a) an exchange gain of the trade or part for the accrual period shall be treated as accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability,

(b) the amount of the gain shall be the amount of the part so attributed, and

(8) Where for the second accrual period part of an amount is attributed to purposes other than trading purposes under subsection (6) above--

(a) a non-trading exchange gain for the accrual period shall be treated as accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability,

(b) the amount of the gain shall be the amount of the part so attributed, and

(9) In a case where--

(a) an exchange gain of a trade or of part of a trade for the second accrual period is treated as accruing to a company by virtue of the preceding provisions of this section (or would be so treated apart from this subsection), and

(b) in that period the asset or liability is to any extent held or owed by the company in exempt circumstances,

to that extent the gain shall be treated as a non-trading exchange gain (and not as a gain of the trade or part) and section 129(2) above shall apply.

(10) Any apportionment required by subsection (9) above shall be made on a just and reasonable basis.

(11) Subsections (4) to (10) above shall have effect subject to any further application of section 139 above as regards the asset or liability.

(12) For the purposes of this section a part of a trade is any part of a trade whose basic profits or losses for the relevant accounting period are by virtue of regulations under section 94 above to be computed and expressed in a particular currency for the purposes of corporation tax; and the relevant accounting period is the accounting period which constitutes the second accrual period or in which that accrual period falls.

141 Deferral: amount available for relief

(1) An amount is available for relief under section 139 above for an accounting period if amount A is exceeded by amount B or (if amount C is lower than amount B) amount A is exceeded by amount C; and the amount available for relief for the period is the amount of the difference between amount A and amount B or (as the case may be) between amount A and amount C.

(2) Amount A is one tenth of the amount falling within subsection (3) below.

(3) The amount falling within this subsection is an amount equal to the amount of the company's profits for the accounting period on which corporation tax would fall finally to be borne apart from--

(a) a claim under section 139 above as regards the accounting period, and

(b) section 402 of the Taxes Act 1988 (group relief);

and section 238(4) of the Taxes Act 1988 (amount of profits on which corporation tax falls finally to be borne) shall apply for the purposes of this subsection.

(4) Amount B is the amount found by deducting amount B(2) from amount B(1) where--

(a) amount B(1) is the total amount of unrealised exchange gains which accrue or would (apart from a claim under section 139 above as regards the accounting period) accrue to the company, in an accrual period or accrual periods constituting or falling within the accounting period, as regards long-term capital assets or long-term capital liabilities or both;

(b) amount B(2) is the total amount of unrealised exchange losses accruing to the company in such an accrual period or accrual periods as regards such assets or liabilities or both.

(5) Amount C is the amount found by deducting amount C(2) from amount C(1) where--

(a) amount C(1) is the total amount of exchange gains which accrue or would (apart from a claim under section 139 above as regards the accounting period) accrue to the company, in an accrual period or accrual periods falling within the accounting period, as regards relevant items;

(b) amount C(2) is the total amount of exchange losses accruing to the company in such an accrual period or periods as regards relevant items.

(6) In subsections (4) and (5) above the references to exchange gains and losses are to exchange gains and losses of a trade and exchange gains and losses of part of a trade and non-trading exchange gains and losses.

(7) For the purposes of subsection (5) above relevant items are--

(a) assets falling within section 153(1)(a) below;

(b) liabilities falling within section 153(2)(a) below;

142 Deferral: non-sterling trades

(1) Where apart from this subsection--

(a) a gain falling within section 139(1) above would be expressed in a currency other than sterling, or

(b) a gain or loss falling within section 141(4) or (5) above would be expressed in a currency other than sterling,

the amount of the gain or loss shall be treated for the purposes of sections 139 to 141 above as the sterling equivalent of its amount expressed in the other currency.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above the sterling equivalent of an amount is--

(a) the sterling equivalent calculated by reference to such rate of exchange as applies by virtue of section 93(6) above in the case of the basic profits or losses for the accounting period concerned of the trade of which the gain or loss is a gain or loss (or would be apart from section 139 above), or

(b) the sterling equivalent calculated by reference to such rate of exchange as applies by virtue of section 94(11) above in the case of the basic profits or losses for the accounting period concerned of the part of the trade of which the gain or loss is a gain or loss (or would be apart from section 139 above).

(3) Subsection (4) below applies where--

(a) part of an exchange gain of a trade, or part of an exchange gain of part of a trade, is treated as not accruing to a company for an accrual period by virtue of section 140(3) above, and

(b) the local currency of the trade or part for the accounting period which constitutes the accrual period or in which it falls is a currency other than sterling.

(4) The amount the company is treated as receiving under section 128(4) above in respect of the accounting period and by virtue of the gain (as reduced) shall be taken into account after the basic profits or losses of the trade or part for the accounting period are found in sterling for the purposes of corporation tax.

(5) In a case where--

(a) an exchange gain of a trade, or of part of a trade, for an accrual period is treated as accruing to a company under section 140 above, and

(b) the local currency of the trade or part for the accounting period which constitutes the accrual period or in which it falls is a currency other than sterling,

the amount of the gain shall be treated as the local currency equivalent of its amount expressed in sterling.

(6) The translation required by subsection (5) above shall be made by reference to the London closing exchange rate for the two currencies concerned--

(a) for the last day of the accrual period mentioned in subsection (5) above, or

(b) if that accrual period does not end with the end of a day, for the day on which that accrual period ends.

143 Deferral: supplementary

(1) For the purposes of sections 139 and 141 above and this section an exchange gain or loss is unrealised if the accrual period concerned is one which ends solely by virtue of an accounting period of the company coming to an end.

(2) In a case where--

(a) an unrealised exchange gain would accrue as mentioned in section 139(1) above,

(b) the gain represents the whole or part of an initial exchange gain accruing under section 127 above, and

(c) the whole or part of the unrealised exchange gain is attributable to any part by which the nominal amount of the debt has decreased,

the company may not claim under section 139 above as regards so much of the unrealised exchange gain as is so attributable.

(3) In applying subsection (2)(c) above the gain shall be apportioned on a just and reasonable basis.

(4) For the purposes of sections 139 and 141 above an asset or liability is a long-term capital asset or liability if the following conditions are fulfilled--

(a) the asset or liability falls within section 153(1)(a) or (2)(a) below,

(b) the debt under which it subsists is such that, under the terms as originally entered into, the time for settlement is not less than one year from the time when the debt was created, and

and the time for settlement is the earliest time at which the creditor can require settlement if he exercises all available options and rights.

(5) For the purposes of section 140 above an asset is held, or a liability is owed, in exempt circumstances at a given time if it is then held or owed--

(a) for the purposes of long term insurance business;

(b) for the purposes of mutual insurance business;

(d) by a housing association approved at that time for the purposes of section 488 of the Taxes Act 1988;

(e) by a self-build society approved at that time for the purposes of section 489 of that Act.

(6) In subsection (5) above--

"long term insurance business" means insurance business of any of the classes specified in Schedule 1 to the [1982 c. 50.] Insurance Companies Act 1982;
"commercial woodlands" means woodlands in the United Kingdom which are managed on a commercial basis and with a view to the realisation of profits.

(7) Regulations may--

(a) make provision modifying the effect of sections 139 to 142 above and the preceding provisions of this section in a case where the debt under which a long-term capital asset or liability subsists is settled and replaced to any extent by another debt under which (or other debts under each of which) such an asset or liability subsists;

(b) make provision modifying the effect of sections 139 to 142 above and the preceding provisions of this section in a case where a group of companies is involved;

(c) provide that the amount falling within section 141(3) above shall be treated as reduced in accordance with prescribed rules;

and any provision under paragraph (a) above may include provision that realised gains or losses are to be treated as wholly or partly unrealised.

Irrecoverable debts

144 Irrecoverable debts

(1) In a case where--

(a) a qualifying company holds an asset consisting of a right to settlement under a qualifying debt or owes a liability consisting of a duty to settle under such a debt, and

(b) the inspector is satisfied, as regards any accounting period of the company, that all of the debt outstanding immediately before the end of the period could at that time reasonably have been regarded as irrecoverable,

the company shall be treated for the purposes of this Chapter as if immediately before the end of that accounting period it ceased to be entitled to the asset or subject to the liability.

(2) Subsection (3) below applies in a case where--

(a) paragraph (a) of subsection (1) above applies, and

(b) the inspector is satisfied, as regards any accounting period of the company, that part of the debt outstanding immediately before the end of the period could at that time reasonably have been regarded as irrecoverable.

(3) The company shall be treated for the purposes of this Chapter as if--

(a) immediately after the beginning of the accounting period next following the accounting period mentioned in subsection (2) above there were a decrease in the nominal amount of the debt outstanding, and

(b) the decrease were of an amount equal to so much of the debt, expressed in its settlement currency, as was outstanding immediately before the end of the accounting period mentioned in subsection (2) above and in the opinion of the inspector could at that time reasonably have been regarded as irrecoverable.

(4) Where there is an appeal, this section shall be construed as if--

(a) "inspector is satisfied" (in each place) read "Commissioners concerned are satisfied", and

(b) "opinion of the inspector" read "opinion of the Commissioners concerned".

145 Irrecoverable debts that become recoverable

(1) Subsection (2) below applies where--

(a) a company has been treated as mentioned in section 144(1) above as regards a debt,

(b) at a time (the later time) falling after the end of the accounting period mentioned in section 144(1)(b) above all or part of the debt is actually outstanding, and

(c) the inspector is satisfied that all or part of the amount actually outstanding at the later time could at that time reasonably have been regarded as recoverable.

(2) The company shall be treated for the purposes of this Chapter as if--

(a) immediately after the later time it had become entitled to an asset consisting of a right to settlement under the debt or (as the case may be) subject to a liability consisting of a duty to settle under the debt, and

(b) the nominal amount of the debt outstanding, at the time the company became entitled or subject to the asset or liability, were an amount equal to so much of the debt, expressed in its settlement currency, as was actually outstanding at the later time and in the opinion of the inspector could at that time reasonably have been regarded as recoverable.

(3) Subsections (4) and (5) below apply where--

(a) a company has been treated as mentioned in section 144(3) above as regards a debt, or

(b) a company has been treated as mentioned in subsection (2) above as regards a debt by virtue of the fact that in the opinion of the inspector part of the debt could, at the later time, reasonably have been regarded as recoverable.

(4) In a case where--

(a) at a time (the relevant time) falling after the end of the accounting period mentioned in section 144(2)(b) above or (as the case may be) falling after the later time all or part of the debt is actually outstanding,

(b) the inspector is satisfied that all or part of the amount actually outstanding at the relevant time could at that time reasonably have been regarded as recoverable, and

(c) the recoverable amount exceeds the amount which (taking into account section 144(3) above, subsection (2) above and any previous application of this subsection) is the nominal amount of the debt outstanding at the relevant time,

the company shall be treated for the purposes of this Chapter as if, immediately after the relevant time, there were an increase in the nominal amount of the debt outstanding and the increase were of an amount equal to the excess mentioned in paragraph (c) above.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4) above the recoverable amount is an amount equal to so much of the debt, expressed in its settlement currency, as was actually outstanding at the relevant time and in the opinion of the inspector could at that time reasonably have been regarded as recoverable.

(6) Where there is an appeal, this section shall be construed as if--

(a) "inspector is satisfied" (in each place) read "Commissioners concerned are satisfied", and

(b) "opinion of the inspector" (in each place) read "opinion of the Commissioners concerned".

Currency contracts: special cases

146 Early termination of currency contract

(1) This section applies where--

(a) a qualifying company ceases to be entitled to rights and subject to duties under a currency contract, and

(b) at the time it so ceases it has neither received nor made payment of any currency in pursuance of the contract.

(2) If the company has a net contractual gain of a trade it shall be treated for the purposes of the Tax Acts as--

(a) incurring in the trade a loss of an amount equal to that gain, and

(b) incurring the loss in respect of the last relevant accounting period.

(3) If the company has a net contractual loss of a trade it shall be treated for the purposes of the Tax Acts as--

(a) receiving in respect of the trade an amount equal to that loss, and

(b) receiving the amount in respect of the last relevant accounting period.

(4) If the company has a net contractual non-trading gain--

(a) it shall be treated as incurring by virtue of section 129 above a loss of an amount equal to the amount of that gain,

(b) it shall be treated as incurring the loss in the last relevant accounting period, and

(5) If the company has a net contractual non-trading loss--

(a) it shall be treated as receiving by virtue of section 129 above an amount equal to the amount of that loss,

(b) it shall be treated as receiving the amount in the last relevant accounting period, and

(6) For the purposes of this section--

(a) the termination time is the time mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above;

(b) the last relevant accounting period is the company's accounting period in which the termination time falls;

(7) This is how to find out whether the company has a net contractual gain or loss of a trade and (if it has) its amount--

(a) take the aggregate of the amounts (if any) the company is treated as receiving under section 128(4) above in respect of the trade and the contract and the relevant accounting periods;

(b) take the aggregate of the amounts (if any) of the losses the company is treated as incurring under section 128(8) above in the trade and in respect of the contract and the relevant accounting periods;

(c) if the amount found under paragraph (a) above exceeds that found under paragraph (b) above the company has a net contractual gain of the trade of an amount equal to the excess;

(d) if the amount found under paragraph (b) above exceeds that found under paragraph (a) above the company has a net contractual loss of the trade of an amount equal to the excess;

and in applying paragraphs (a) and (b) above ignore the effect of subsections (2) and (3) above.

(8) This is how to find out whether the company has a net contractual non-trading gain or loss and (if it has) its amount--

(a) take the aggregate of the amounts (if any) the company is treated as receiving under section 129(2) above in respect of the contract in the relevant accounting periods;

(b) take the aggregate of the amounts (if any) of the losses the company is treated as incurring under section 129(4) above in respect of the contract in the relevant accounting periods;

(c) if the amount found under paragraph (a) above exceeds that found under paragraph (b) above the company has a net contractual non-trading gain of an amount equal to the excess;

(d) if the amount found under paragraph (b) above exceeds that found under paragraph (a) above the company has a net contractual non-trading loss of an amount equal to the excess;

and in applying paragraphs (a) and (b) above ignore the effect of subsections (4) and (5) above.

(9) For the purposes of subsection (7) above--

(a) an amount the company is treated as receiving under section 128(4) above in respect of part of the trade concerned shall be treated as received in respect of the trade;

(b) a loss the company is treated as incurring under section 128(8) above in part of the trade shall be treated as incurred in the trade.

(10) Where any amount or loss the company is treated as receiving or incurring as mentioned in subsection (7)(a) or (b) above would (apart from this subsection) be expressed in a currency other than the local currency of the trade for the last relevant accounting period, it shall be treated for the purposes of this section as being the local currency equivalent of the amount or loss expressed in that other currency.

(11) For the purposes of subsection (10) above the local currency equivalent of an amount is the equivalent--

(a) expressed in the local currency of the trade for the last relevant accounting period, and

(b) calculated by reference to the London closing exchange rate for the day in which the termination time falls.

(12) Subsection (13) below applies where the company has (apart from that subsection) a net contractual gain or loss of a trade and--

(a) the trade concerned has ceased before the termination time, or

(b) the company carries on exempt activities immediately before the termination time.

(13) In such a case the company shall be treated for the purposes of this section as if--

(a) it did not have the net contractual gain or loss of the trade, and

(b) it had a net contractual non-trading gain or loss (as the case may be) equal to the amount which would have been the amount of the net contractual gain or loss of the trade apart from paragraph (a) above.

(14) Where any amount found under subsection (13)(b) above would (apart from this subsection) be expressed in a currency other than sterling, it shall be treated for the purposes of this section as being the sterling equivalent of the amount expressed in that other currency; and any translation required by this subsection shall be made by reference to the London closing exchange rate for the currencies concerned for the day in which the termination time falls.

(15) For the purposes of this section a company carries on exempt activities at a given time if--

(a) the activities it then carries on are or include any of the activities mentioned in subsection (16) below,

(b) it is a housing association approved at that time for the purposes of section 488 of the Taxes Act 1988, or

(16) The activities referred to in subsection (15)(a) above are--

(a) the activity of long term insurance business;

(b) the activity of mutual insurance business;

and section 143(6) above applies for the purposes of this subsection.

147 Reciprocal currency contracts

(1) This section applies where--

(a) a qualifying company enters into a currency contract (the first contract), and

(b) the company closes out that contract by entering into another currency contract (the second contract) with rights and duties which are reciprocal to those under the first contract.

(2) For the purposes of this Chapter the company shall be treated as ceasing, at the time it enters into the second contract, to be entitled to rights and subject to duties under the first contract without having received or made payment of any currency in pursuance of the first contract.

(3) For the purposes of this Chapter the second contract shall be ignored (except in applying the preceding provisions of this section).

Excess gains or losses

148 Excess gains or losses

(1) Regulations may provide that where prescribed conditions are fulfilled as regards an asset or liability relief from tax shall be afforded in respect of it; and subsections (2) to (4) below shall apply for the purposes of the regulations.

(2) The prescribed conditions must be or include ones that are met where it can reasonably be said that--

(a) a loss other than an exchange loss has accrued to a qualifying company as regards the asset or liability and no relief from tax is available under the Tax Acts in respect of the loss, and

(b) exchange gains have accrued to the company as regards the asset or liability without being matched (or fully matched) by exchange losses accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability.

(3) The relief shall take such form as is prescribed and shall be such that the amount relieved does not exceed the amount of the unmatched gains.

(4) The regulations may provide that if the loss mentioned in subsection (2)(a) above is made good to any extent the relief afforded by the regulations shall be cancelled (to the extent prescribed) by an assessment to tax.

(5) Regulations may provide that where prescribed conditions are fulfilled as regards an asset or liability a charge to tax shall be imposed in respect of it; and subsections (6) and (7) below shall apply for the purposes of the regulations.

(6) The prescribed conditions must be or include ones that are met where it can reasonably be said that--

(a) a gain other than an exchange gain has accrued to a qualifying company as regards the asset or liability and no charge to tax is imposed under the Tax Acts in respect of the gain, and

(b) exchange losses have accrued to the company as regards the asset or liability without being matched (or fully matched) by exchange gains accruing to the company as regards the asset or liability.

(7) The charge shall take such form as is prescribed and shall be such that the amount charged does not exceed the amount of the unmatched losses.

(8) Regulations under this section may include provision that the relief--

(a) is subject to a claim being made;

(b) is not available in prescribed circumstances.

(9) Where (apart from this subsection) an exchange gain or loss would be expressed in a currency other than sterling, the amount of the gain or loss shall be treated for the purposes of this section as the sterling equivalent of its amount expressed in the other currency.

(10) The translation required by subsection (9) above shall be made by reference to the London closing exchange rate for the two currencies concerned--

(a) for the last day of the accrual period for which the gain or loss accrues, or

(b) if that accrual period does not end with the end of a day, for the day on which that accrual period ends.

(11) In this section--

(a) references to an exchange gain are to an exchange gain of a trade or an exchange gain of part of a trade or a non-trading exchange gain;

(b) references to an exchange loss are to an exchange loss of a trade or an exchange loss of part of a trade or a non-trading exchange loss.

Local currency to be used

149 Local currency to be used

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the local currency for the purposes of sections 125 to 127 above is sterling.

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