Relief for community amateur sports clubs
Finance Bill (except clauses 4, 5, 20, 28, 57 to 77, 86, 111 and 282 to 289, and schedules 1, 3, 11, 12, 21 and 37 to 39)
4:00 pm
Mr John Healey (Economic Secretary, HM Treasury; Wentworth, Labour)
I understand the question. The hon. Gentleman asked about cost of the way in which we score tax. In our judgment, the cost counts as negligible—it is under £5 million a year. He expressed concern that the trading exemption may be too low. That probably will not be the case. Much of the income of most clubs is derived from their members. It lacks the required level of commerciality to be treated as trading income. The exemption threshold applies only to income derived from non-members and income derived from members that has a commercial nature.
If the clubs in the hon. Gentleman's area have bar takings that push them comfortably over the £30,000 threshold, he has some successful and very vibrant local clubs, and I am very pleased to hear that, but generally CASCs do not have such bar takings.