Oil Taxation Act 1975

Sections 3 and 4.

SCHEDULE 5 U.K. Allowance of Expenditure (other than Abortive Exploration Expenditure)

Claim periods and claimsU.K.

1(1)In relation to any oil field—U.K.

(a)the first claim period is whichever of the following periods the responsible person elects, namely the period ending at the end of June following the determination of the field or the period ending at the end of December following that determination (including, in either case, an unlimited time prior to that determination);

(b)each subsequent claim period is whichever of the following periods the responsible person elects, namely the period of six months or the period of twelve months from the end of the preceding claim period:

(2)An election under this paragraph must be made by notice in writing to the Board.

2(1)A claim under this Schedule for the allowance of any expenditure allowable under section 3 or 4 of this Act for an oil field must be made by the responsible person to the Board and, subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, must be made in a claim or claims for the claim period in which the expenditure is incurred, but may not be made before the determination of the field or more than six years after the end of the claim period in which the expenditure is incurred.

(2)A claim under this Schedule for the allowance of any expenditure allowable under section 3 or 4 of this Act for an oil field which was incurred by a person before he became a participator in the field must be made in a claim for the claim period in which he became a participator.

(3)A claim under this Schedule shall not include any expenditure allowable under section 3 or 4 of this Act which has been included in a claim under Schedule 6 to this Act.

(4)A claim must state—

(a)what part (if any) of the expenditure is claimed as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act; and

(b)[F1Subject to paragraph 2A below]the shares in which, in accordance with their respective interests in the oil field, the participators propose to divide between them, for the purposes of paragraph (b) of section 2(9) of this Act, the expenditure allowed on the claim and the amount which will arise under sub-paragraph (ii) of that paragraph if some or all of that expenditure is allowed on the claim as so qualifying.

(5)Where a claim for the allowance of any expenditure under section 4 of this Act for an oil field was made in relation to any asset for the claim period which, in the case of that asset, is the first relevant claim period (as defined in that section), then any claim with respect to that field made under this Schedule for any subsequent claim period must give all such information as is relevant for the purpose of enabling the Board to carry into effect the provisions of that section in relation to that asset.

(6)A claim must be in such form as the Board may prescribe and must include a declaration that all statements contained in it are correct to the best of the knowledge and belief of the person making the claim.

[F22A(1)This paragraph applies where—U.K.

(a)a claim is made under this Schedule for the allowance of any expenditure which is incurred after 30th June 1991 and is allowable for an oil field by virtue of paragraph (i) or paragraph (j) of subsection (1) of section 3 of this Act (in this paragraph referred to as “the abandonment expenditure”);

(b)a participator (in this paragraph referred to as “the defaulter”) has defaulted on his liability under a relevant agreement to make a payment towards the abandonment expenditure;

(c)at the end of the claim period for which the claim is made, the defaulter still has an interest in the oil field which falls to be taken into account in determining, under paragraph 2(4)(b) above, the shares of each of the participators in the abandonment expenditure;

(d)the participators (other than any who have defaulted as mentioned in paragraph (b) above) have taken all reasonable steps by way of legal remedy to secure that the defaulter meets the whole of the liability referred to in paragraph (b) above and to enforce any guarantee or other security provided in respect of that liability; and

(e)one or more of those participators has paid an amount in or towards meeting the whole or any part of the payment for which the defaulter was liable as mentioned in paragraph (b) above.

(2)For the purposes of this paragraph, a participator is to be regarded as defaulting on his liability to make a payment as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above if he has failed to make the payment in full on the date on which it becomes due under the relevant agreement and either—

(a)on the sixtieth day after that due date any of the payment remains unpaid; or

(b)before that sixtieth day the participator’s interest in a relevant licence becomes liable under the relevant agreement to be sold or forfeited, in whole or in part, by reason of his failure to meet his liability.

(3)In this paragraph—

(a)“relevant agreement” has the meaning given by section 104(5)(a) of the Finance Act 1991;

(b)“the sum in default” means so much of the payment referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above as has neither been paid by the defaulter nor met by virtue of any such guarantee or security as is referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(d) above;

(c)the “default payment” means the amount which the qualifying participator has paid as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(e) above; and

(d)a “qualifying participator” means a participator who falls within sub-paragraph (1)(e) above and who is not connected with the defaulter, applying section 839 of the Taxes Act (connected persons) for the purposes of this paragraph.

(4)For the purposes of paragraphs 2(4)(b) and 3(1)(c) of this Schedule, there shall be attributed to a qualifying participator (as an addition to the share of the abandonment expenditure referable to his own interest in the oil field) whichever is the less of—

(a)the default payment; and

(b)subject to sub-paragraph (5) below, that portion of the sum in default which, in accordance with the relevant agreement, the qualifying participator is required to meet in the event of a failure by the defaulter to meet his liability to pay in full the payment referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above.

(5)If, in the case of any oil field, there are only two participators and one of them is the defaulter, the portion referred to in sub-paragraph (4)(b) above is the whole.

(6)Where this paragraph applies, account shall, in the first instance, be taken under paragraph 2(4)(b) above of the whole of the defaulter’s interest in the oil field in determining the share of the abandonment expenditure which, apart from sub-paragraph (4) above, is to be attributed to each of the other participators; but the amount of the abandonment expenditure which, apart from this paragraph, would be attributed to the defaulter by reference to his interest in the oil field shall be reduced (or, as the case may be, extinguished) by deducting therefrom any expenditure attributed to the other participators under sub-paragraph (4) above.]

3(1)The Board shall by notice in writing to the responsible person inform him of their decision on the claim, stating in the notice—U.K.

(a)the amount of the expenditure allowed by them on the claim;

(b)the amount, if any, of that expenditure allowed by them on the claim as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act; and

(c)the shares determined by the Board to be the shares in which, in the opinion of the Board, the amount stated under (a) above or, as the case may be, the aggregate of that amount and an amount equal to the relevant percentage of the amount stated under (b) above, is divisible between the participators for the purposes of section 2(9)(b) of this Act;

and where the decision relates to part only of the expenditure claimed, or claimed as so qualifying, the Board shall give a further notice or notices in relation to the remainder.

(2)In this paragraph “the relevant percentage” means the percentage mentioned in the said section 2(9)(b)(ii).

4U.K.If, in a case where sub-paragraph (5) of paragraph 2 above requires a claim made for a particular claim period to give all such information as is relevant for the purpose there mentioned in relation to an asset, a claim satisfying the requirements of that sub-paragraph is not made within twelve months after the end of that period, then, in carrying into effect the provisions of section 4 of this Act in relation to that asset for that claim period, the Board may proceed according to the best of their judgment, and may make any adjustments under any of the provisions mentioned in paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 4 to this Act accordingly.

AppealsU.K.

5(1)If—U.K.

(a)the amount or total of the amounts stated under sub-paragraph (1)(a) of paragraph 4 above in the notice or notices given by the Board under that paragraph on a claim, or the amount or total of the amounts so stated under sub-paragraph (1)(b) of that paragraph, is less than the amount claimed; or

(b)the shares so stated under sub-paragraph (1)(c) of that paragraph in the notice or latest of the notices so given differ from the shares stated under paragraph 2(4)(b) above in the claim,

the responsible person may by notice in writing given to the Board not more than three years after the making of the claim appeal to the Special Commissioners; but the bringing of an appeal under this paragraph shall not affect the operation of any notice so given by the Board.

(2)On an appeal against a decision on a claim brought on the ground mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above, and in any proceedings arising out of such an appeal, any participator in the oil field to which the claim relates shall be entitled to appear and be heard.

(3)An appeal against a decision on a claim may at any time be abandoned by a notice in writing given to the Board by the responsible person.

(4)On an appeal against a decision on a claim, the Special Commissioners may vary the decision appealed against whether or not the variation is to the advantage of all or any of the participators in the oil field to which the claim relates.

6(1)Where the responsible person gives notice of appeal against a decision on a claim on one or both of the grounds mentioned in paragraph 5(1)(a) above and, before the appeal is determined by the Special Commissioners, the Board and the responsible person agree on—U.K.

(a)the amount of the expenditure that ought to be allowed on the claim; or

(b)the amount, if any, of the expenditure claimed which ought to be so allowed as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act,

the appropriate amount (if any) of the expenditure claimed or, as the case may be, claimed as so qualifying shall be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as having been allowed by the Board on the claim, and as having been so allowed on the date on which the notice of appeal was given.

For the purposes of this sub-paragraph the appropriate amount (if any) of the expenditure claimed or, as the case may be, claimed as so qualifying, is an amount thereof equal to the excess, if any, of the amount so agreed on over the corresponding amount or the total of the corresponding amounts allowed by the notice or notices previously given by the Board under paragraph 3 above.

(2)Where the responsible person gives notice of appeal against a decision on a claim on the ground mentioned in paragraph 5(1)(b) above and, before the appeal is determined by the Special Commissioners, the Board and the responsible person agree on the shares in which the amount of any expenditure allowed on the claim, or so allowed as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act, ought to be divided between the participators for the purposes of section 2(9)(b) of this Act, the shares so agreed on shall be deemed to be the shares stated in any notice previously given by the Board under paragraph 3 above on the claim, and shall apply in the case of any part of the expenditure claimed, or claimed as so qualifying, which is by virtue of this or the following paragraph treated as having been allowed on the claim;

(3)Where the Board and the responsible person agree on the matter mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a), sub-paragraph (1)(b) or sub-paragraph (2) above in the circumstances there mentioned, the corresponding ground of appeal shall be treated as having been abandoned; and where by virtue of this sub-paragraph all the grounds of the appeal fall to be so treated, the appeal itself shall be treated as having been abandoned.

7(1)Where on an appeal under paragraph 5 above the Special Commissioners determine that any amount or part of an amount in dispute is allowable under section 3 or 4 of this Act or qualifies for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act, the following provisions of this paragraph shall apply;U.K.

(2)Subject to paragraph 8(2) below, the said amount or part shall be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as having been allowed on the claim to which the appeal relates, and as having been so allowed on the date on which the notice of appeal was given.

(3)There shall be made in any computation made under section 2 of this Act, and in any assessment to tax or determination, all such adjustments as are necessary in consequence of the determination of the Special Commissioners.

8(1)Where—

(a)a case for the opinion of the court is stated under section 56 of the M1Taxes Management Act 1970 (as applied by paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to this Act) in respect of a determination by the Special Commissioners on an appeal under paragraph 5 above; and

(b)in the proceedings on the case so stated, or in any proceedings arising out of those proceedings, any matter which was determined by the Special Commissioners on that appeal is finally determined otherwise than in accordance with their determination on that appeal,

the following provisions of this paragraph shall apply.

(2)Any expenditure allowable under section 3 or 4 of this Act, which, if the decision of the Board on the claim to which the appeal under paragraph 5 above related had been in accordance with the final determination of that matter, would have been allowed by that decision, or allowed by it as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act, shall be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as having been allowed by the Board on the claim to the extent that it has not been previously allowed on the claim, and as having been so allowed to that extent on the date on which the original notice of appeal was given under paragraph 5 above.

(3)There shall be made in any computation made under section 2 of this Act and in any assessment to tax or determination all such adjustments or further adjustments as are necessary in consequence of the final determination.

(4)Any tax which becomes payable in consequence of any adjustment made under sub-paragraph (3) above in an assessment for a chargeable period shall carry interest at the [F3rate applicable under section 178 of the Finance Act 1989] from [F4two months] after the end of that period to the date of payment.

(5)For the purposes of this paragraph a matter shall not be deemed to be finally determined in any such proceedings as are mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above until a determination thereof made in any such proceedings can no longer be varied or overruled by the order of any court.

[F59(1)If, within the period of three years commencing with the date on which notice of a decision of the Board under paragraph 3 above was given to the responsible person for an oil field, it appears to the Board that the relevant amount was incorrectly stated in the notice, the Board may before the expiry of that period serve on the responsible Person a notice stating what appears to the Board to be the correct amount (referred to below as “the notice of variation”).U.K.

[F6(1A)In any case falling within sub-paragraph (1B) below, sub-paragraph (1) above shall have effect—

(a)with the substitution for the words “within the period of three years commencing with” of the words “at any time after”; and

(b)with the omission of the words “before the expiry of that period”.

(1B)The cases referred to in sub-paragraph (1A) above are those where—

(a)the incorrect statement of the relevant amount in the notice of the decision mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) above was an over-statement of that amount; and

(b)that over-statement was, in whole or in part, referable to an error in a statement or declaration made in connection with the claim; and

(c)at least one of the conditions in sub-paragraph (1C) below is fulfilled with respect to that error.

(1C)The conditions referred to in sub-paragraph (1B)(c) above are—

(a)that the error was attributable, in whole or in part, to the fraudulent or negligent conduct of the responsible person or a person acting on his behalf;

(b)that paragraph (a) above does not apply but, on the error coming to the notice of the person by whom the statement or declaration was made or a person acting on his behalf, the error was not remedied without unreasonable delay; and

(c)that paragraph (a) above does not apply but, on the error coming to the notice of any person who subsequently becomes the responsible person, the error was not remedied without unreasonable delay.]

(2)In this paragraph “the relevant amount”, in relation to a notice of a decision on a claim under paragraph 3 above, means any one or more of the following—

(a)the amount of expenditure allowed on the claim;

(b)the amount of that expenditure allowed as qualifying for supplement under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act;

(c)where different percentages were stated in that notice to apply to different parts of that expenditure for the purpose of calculating the supplement, each of those parts of that expenditure.

[F7(2A)In any case where—

(a)the relevant amount which was incorrectly stated is a part of any expenditure falling within paragraph (c) of sub-paragraph (2) above (in this sub-paragraph referred to as a “paragraph (c) amount”), and

(b)under sub-paragraph (1B)(a) above the question arises whether the incorrect statement was an over-statement,

that question shall be determined by comparing the total amount which, in accordance with the notice of decision containing the incorrect statement, was brought into account under section 2(9)(b)(ii) of this Act with the total amount which would have been so brought into account if the paragraph (c) amounts stated in that notice had been correct]

(3)The responsible person may, by notice in writing given to the Board not more than thirty days after the notice of variation was served on him, appeal to the Special Commissioners against the notice of variation.

(4)A notice of appeal under sub-paragraph (3) shall state the grounds on which the appeal is brought.

(5)An appeal under this paragraph may at any time be abandoned by notice in writing given to the Board by the responsible person.

(6)A notice of variation may be withdrawn at any time before it becomes effective.

(7)In any case where—

(a)the responsible person gives notice of appeal against a notice of variation, and

(b)before the appeal is determined by the Special Commissioners, the Board and the responsible person agree as to what the relevant amount ought to be,

the notice of variation shall have effect subject to such modifications as may be necessary to give effect to that agreement; and thereupon the appeal shall be treated as having been abandoned.

(8)On an appeal against a notice of variation the Special Commissioners may vary the notice, quash the notice or dismiss the appeal; and the notice may be varied whether or not the variation is to the advantage of all or any of the participators in the oil field in question.

(9)Where a notice of variation relating to a decision on a claim becomes effective, the relevant amount shall be taken for the purposes of this Part of this Act as having been reduced or increased, as the case may require, on the date on which notice of the decision was given, by such amount as may be necessary to give effect to that notice, and the Board may make such computations under section 2 of this Act and such assessments or determinations or such amendments of assessments or determinations as may be necessary in consequence of that reduction or increase.

(10)A notice of variation becomes effective for the purposes of this paragraph either—

(a)on the expiry of the period during which notice of appeal against the notice of variation may be given to the Special Commissioners under sub-paragraph (3) above without such notice of appeal being given; or

(b)where such notice of appeal is given, when the notice of variation can no longer be varied or quashed by the Special Commissioners or by the order of any court.

[F8(11)In a case falling within sub-paragraph (1B) above, this paragraph has effect in relation to notices of decisions of the Board under paragraph 3 above whenever given; and, in any other case, this paragraph has effect in relation to such notices given after 15th March 1983.]]