Finance Act 2003

Transfers of business

18 (1) In the Taxes Act 1988, after section 444A insert—

“444AA Transfers of business: deemed periodical return

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

(2) Where the last period covered by a periodical return of the transferor ends otherwise than immediately before the transfer, there is to be deemed for the purposes of corporation tax to be a periodical return of the transferor covering the period—

(a) beginning immediately after the last period ending before the transfer which is covered by an actual periodical return of the transferor, and

(b) ending immediately before the transfer,

containing such entries as would have been included in an actual periodical return of the transferor covering that period (and so making that period a period of account of the transferor).

(3) Where the last period covered by a periodical return of the transferor (whether or not by virtue of subsection (2) above) ends immediately before the transfer, there is to be deemed for the relevant purpose to be a periodical return of the transferor—

(a) covering the time of the transfer, and

(b) containing such entries as would have been included in an actual periodical return covering the time of the transfer,

(and so making the time of the transfer a period of account of the transferor for the relevant purpose).

(4) Where the last period covered by a periodical return of the transferor ends after the transfer, the periodical return covering that period is to be ignored for all purposes of corporation tax other than the relevant purpose.

(5) In this section “the relevant purpose” means determining for the purposes of section 83(2B) of the Finance Act 1989 whether a transfer is brought into account as part of total expenditure.

(6) For the purposes of this section “insurance business transfer scheme” includes a scheme which would be such a scheme but for section 105(1)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (which requires the business transferred to be carried on in an EEA State).”.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) has effect in relation to insurance business transfer schemes (within the meaning of section 444AA of the Taxes Act 1988) taking place on or after 1st January 2003 unless the accounting period of the transferor which ends with the day of the transfer began before that date.