The powers available to HMRC to request information or documents from a third party (a Third Party Notice) where it is reasonably required by HMRC for checking the tax position of a taxpayer are generally well known. What is not so well known is the limited opportunities available to a third party who might wish to challenge the terms or scope of a Third Party Notice.
For companies with an appetite for strategic business growth rather than divestment, buying assets from insolvent companies is a particular avenue of opportunity. For example, in the current market, there may be opportunities to purchase oil & gas assets from companies that have not been able to survive the prolonged low oil price. Corporate Partner, Philip Mace, provides his top 'legal tips' for purchasing assets from, in this example, an English administrator of a company.
Appointment of receivers in respect of a group entity takes “control” of that entity outside the group for tax purposes, but does this decision have more far reaching consequences?
The First Tier of the Tax Tribunal heard appeals against closure notices issued by HMRC denying claims for group relief by a group of companies, including a company over whose assets a fixed charge receiver (FCR) had been appointed (the Borrower).
A version of this article was first published in The Law Society Gazette and Prime Resi.
Key Points
- Trustees in bankruptcy entitled to more than return of shares wrongfully transferred by bankrupt
- Trustees also entitled to recover loss in the value of shares
- Appropriate basis of valuation was fair value (not market value)
The Facts
A key question in any litigation is whether the defendant can satisfy a judgment. Where the defendant is both insolvent and insured a further issue is whether the claimant can ultimately recover payment from the insurer. This may be possible under the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930 ("1930 Act") but there are a number of significant hurdles for a third party to overcome before it can benefit from the application of the1930 Act.
The question of who is entitled to payment of compensation for PPI where a debtor has been discharged from his/her Protected Trust Deed (PTD) has given rise to conflicting judicial decisions in Scotland. In our previous article, we highlighted the uncertainty created following the decision of Sheriff Reid in the case of Donnelly v The Royal Bank of Scotland and the decision of Lord Jones in Dooneen Limited, t/a Mcginnes Associates and Douglas Davidson v David Mond.
The 1st August 2016 sees the coming into force of the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010. The 2010 Act will replace the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930, and will hopefully make it easier for claimants who have claims against insolvent defendants to bring in the defendant’s insurer.
The 1930 Act
Summary
Third parties associated with an employer may find themselves liable to contribute to the employer's occupational pension scheme. Where a pension scheme is in deficit, the Pensions Regulator has powers - so-called 'moral hazard' powers - that can require a third party to give financial support or a specific payment to the pension scheme.
Monday’s Treasury Select Committee report into the collapse of BHS provided scathing criticism of the actions of former owner Sir Philip Green, but would annulling his Knighthood really provide adequate redress for the company’s pension shortfall?