Clause 166 - First-year allowances for expenditure on environmentally beneficial plant or machinery
Finance Bill
6:15 pm
Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs, Conservative)
I had intended to comment on this matter under schedule 30. However, as it has been raised, I just wish to add that we believe that the reasons for revocation should be specified and that there should be provision for appeal against a refusal to issue or a revocation of a certificate. As has been pointed out, it is inappropriate that a certification could be revoked simply because, for example, the
Secretary of State changed his or her mind about whether plant or machinery was environmentally beneficial, particularly if the taxpayer has agreed to incur expenditure in reliance on the certification of environmental benefit.
I have encountered businesses that have faced problems because of a degree of discretion or lack of clarity on a parallel type of benefit. Such businesses did their planning on the basis of their accountant's assurances that they were entitled to the benefit, and then it all changed. That is something that needs to be tightened up.