Several lone parents challenged the benefits cap, saying that it was discriminatory. Held: (Hale, Kerr LL dissenting) The parents’ appeals failed. The legislation had a clear impact on lone parents and their children. The intention was to encourage claimants back into work. It was said that thus contradicted the other policy of providing no free … Continue reading DA and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: SC 15 May 2019
Refusal to permit making of late appeal. Applicant sought to appeal – under section 16 Finance Act 1994 – a decision under section 152(b) Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 refusing to restore vehicle seized under section 139(1) of that act as being liable to forfeiture under section 141(1)(a) of the act. Whether document sent … Continue reading Mozer v Revenue and Customs (Procedure : Other): FTTTx 13 Dec 2021
Claim by a wife that she has a beneficial interest in a house registered in the sole name of her husband and that her interest has priority over the rights of a bank under a legal charge executed without her knowledge. The case raises a point of importance in the law of registered conveyancing. Shortly … Continue reading Lloyds Bank plc v Rosset: CA 13 May 1988
The agricultural landlord sold part of his land subject to the respondent’s tenancy to the appellant. Before the transfer was registered, notices to quit were served by both the landlord and his buyer. The tenant challenged both notices in the County court, against whose finding and order that the notices were invalid, both defendants now … Continue reading Stodday Land Ltd and Another v Pye: ChD 7 Oct 2016
Whether College properly part of University The appellant contended that its supplies of education to students in the United Kingdom were exempt from VAT as a college of Middlesex University. SEL is a subsidiary of SAE Technology Group BV. Both are part of the SAE group of companies which trades around the world under the … Continue reading SAE Education Ltd v Revenue and Customs: SC 20 Mar 2019
In the course of the insolvent administration of the bank, substantial additional sums were received. Parties appealed against some orders made on the application to court for directions as to what was to be done with the surplus. Held: The Court considered the so called waterfall of distributions made on liquidation which proved to be … Continue reading LB Holdings Intermediate 2 Ltd, The Joint Administrators of v Lehman Brothers International (Europe), The Joint Administrators of and Others: SC 17 May 2017
Wives had charged the family homes to secure their husband’s business borrowings, and now resisted possession orders, claiming undue influence. Held: Undue influence is an equitable protection created to undo the effect of excess influence of one person over the will of another, though it should not always be presumed to arise from the existence … Continue reading Royal Bank of Scotland v Etridge (No 2); Barclays Bank plc v Harris; Midland Bank plc v Wallace, etc: HL 11 Oct 2001
The court was asked whether the appellant, Airtours Holidays Transport Ltd (formerly MyTravel Group plc), was entitled to recover, by way of input tax VAT charged by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in respect of services provided by PwC and paid for by Airtours. Held: The appeal was dismissed (Clarke and Carnwath LL dissenting) For the VAT to … Continue reading Airtours Holidays Transport Ltd v Revenue and Customs: SC 11 May 2016
ICO The complainant has requested copies of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Network Board Meeting minutes for 2014. The minutes relate to a Private Finance Initiative contract for street lighting in the county. The Commissioner has determined that the minutes are confidential in nature and that they contain commercially sensitive information. He has therefore decided that that … Continue reading Cambridgeshire County Council (Local Government (County Council)): ICO 9 Feb 2015
Appeal concerning the meaning of ‘dependants’ in an agricultural occupancy condition attached to a planning permission: ‘The occupation of the dwelling shall be limited to persons employed or last employed solely or mainly and locally in agriculture as defined by Section 290(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, or in forestry and the … Continue reading Shortt and Another v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Another: CA 18 Nov 2015
In each case the local authority sought to recover possession of its own land. In the Lambeth case, they asserted this right as against an overstaying former tenant, and in the Leeds case as against gypsies. In each case the occupiers said that the recovery of possession interfered with their right respect for their family … Continue reading Kay and Another v London Borough of Lambeth and others; Leeds City Council v Price and others and others: HL 8 Mar 2006
The court considered whether so called bankers profits were taxable under gaming duty under the 1997 Act. Moses, Black, Gloster LJJ [2013] EWCA Civ 1464, [2013] WLR(D) 441, [2014] 2 WLR 1574, [2014] STC 602 Bailii, WLRD Finance Act 1997 11 England and Wales Citing: At FTTTx – Aspinalls Club Ltd v Revenue and Customs … Continue reading Aspinalls Club Ltd v Revenue and Customs: CA 15 Nov 2013
Composers had entered an agreement with the respondent, assigning all copyrights in their works to the respondent. The respondent asserted also an equitable assignment of all future works. The appellant asserted that the rights in the particular work had not been assigned, having being written for them. Held: The appeal failed. The relative clause in … Continue reading B4U Network (Europe) Ltd v Performing Right Society Ltd: CA 16 Oct 2013
(Gibraltar) Parties to a contract for the sale of land including the appellant company declared a purchase price which both knew to be false. Faced with insolvency proceedings, the appellant sought to challenge a claim for the full amount. Held: The company’s appeal succeeded. Parties are free to contract on their own terms and the … Continue reading Prime Sight Ltd v Lavarello: PC 9 Jul 2013
The company had purchased the site of the former Chelsea barracks. It was in turn owned by the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, which financed the purchase by a Sharia compliant loan scheme, which was implemented creating a lease and buy back arrangement. The company now appealed against a finding that it was liable to stamp … Continue reading Project Blue Ltd v Revenue and Customs: CA 26 May 2016
The defendant tenant had disputed payment of water service charges and stopped paying them. The Council obtained a possession order which was suspended on payment or arrears by the defendant at andpound;5.00. The tenant said that when varying the terms of the tenancy to add collection of water rates, the council had failed to comply … Continue reading Rochdale Borough Council v Dixon: CA 20 Oct 2011
The House considered whether certain properties of the Church were subject to non-domestic rating. Various buildings were on the land, and the officer denied that some fell within the exemptions, and in particular whether the Temple itself was a public place of religious worship, since it was not open to the public, or even to … Continue reading Gallagher (Valuation Officer) v Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: HL 30 Jul 2008
Requirememts to prove breach of confidence A claim was made for breach of confidence in respect of technical information whose value was commercial. Held: Megarry J set out three elements which will normally be required if, apart from contract, a case of breach of confidence is to succeed. In this case the information was found … Continue reading Coco v A N Clark (Engineers) Ltd: ChD 1968
In Douglas, the claimants said that the defendants had interfered with their contract to provide exclusive photographs of their wedding to a competing magazine, by arranging for a third party to infiltrate and take and sell unauthorised photographs. In OBG, the defendants acted as receivers under an invalid charge, and were accused of unlawful interference … Continue reading Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others; similar: HL 2 May 2007
Cere Needed Releasing Future Claims A compromise agreement which appeared to claim to settle all outstanding claims between the employee and employer, did not prevent the employee later claiming for stigma losses where, at the time of the agreement, the circumstances which might lead to a claim were unknown to either party, and such losses … Continue reading Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA v Ali, Khan and others (No 1); BCCI v Ali: HL 1 Mar 2001
In the course of ancillary relief proceedings in a divorce, questions arose regarding company assets owned by the husband. The court was asked as to the power of the court to order the transfer of assets owned entirely in the company’s names. The judge had made such an order, finding evidence that the companies had … Continue reading Prest v Petrodel Resources Ltd and Others: SC 12 Jun 2013
The claimant’s husband had been lost from the defendant’s ship at sea. The defendant had contracted to pay compensation unless the loss was by suicide. They so determined. The court was now asked whether that was a permissible conclusion in the circumstances: ‘This case raises two inter-linked questions of principle, one general and one particular. … Continue reading Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd: SC 18 Mar 2015
Interpretation of Exclusion Clauses The plaintiffs had contracted with the defendants for the provision of a night patrol service for their factory. The perils the parties had in mind were fire and theft. A patrol man deliberately lit a fire which burned down the factory. It was an unresolved issue whether the employee intended to … Continue reading Photo Production Ltd v Securicor Transport Ltd: HL 14 Feb 1980
The land owners sought relief from possession orders made under mortgages given in equity release schemes: ‘If the purchaser raises all or part of the purchase price on mortgage, and then defaults, the issue arises whether the mortgagee’s right to possession has priority over, or is subject to, any entitlement of the vendor to continue … Continue reading Cook v The Mortgage Business Plc: CA 24 Jan 2012
The Revenue had imposed a penalty on the appellants saying that their arrangement for the sale and VAT taxation of demonstrator cars was, in European law terms. The taxpayer sought re-instatment of the First Tier Tribunal judgment in its favour. Held: The appeal succeeded: ‘the First-Tier Tribunal was entitled, on a comprehensive objective evaluation of … Continue reading Pendragon Plc and Others v HM Revenue and Customs: CA 23 Jul 2013
Necessity for Reference to ECJ Lord Denning said that the test for whether a question should be referred to the European Court of Justice is one of necessity, not desirability or convenience. There are cases where the point, if decided one way, would shorten the trial greatly. But if decided the other way, it would … Continue reading HP Bulmer Ltd and Another v J Bollinger Sa and others: CA 22 May 1974
Commercial Sense Used to Interpret Contract The Court was asked as to the role of commercial good sense in the construction of a term in a contract which was open to alternative interpretations. Held: The appeal succeeded. In such a case the court should adopt the more, rather than the less, commercial construction, applying the … Continue reading Rainy Sky Sa and Others v Kookmin Bank: SC 2 Nov 2011
Taxpayer companies challenged the way that the revenue restricted claims for group Corporation Tax relief for subsidiary companies in Europe. The issue was awaiting a decision of the European Court. The Revenue said that the claims now being made by other companies should proceed through the Commissioners who could implement European law directly. The taxpayers … Continue reading Autologic Holdings Plc and others v Commissioners of Inland Revenue: HL 28 Jul 2005
FTTTx STAMP DUTY LAND TAX – sale of property with subsequent Shari’a – compliant sub-sale and lease-back – no SDLT paid pursuant to sections 45(3) and 71A Finance Act 2003- application of section 75A Finance Act 2003- anti-avoidance provision – approach to interpretation of section 75A – identification of ‘V’ and ‘P’ within section 75A(1) … Continue reading Project Blue Ltd v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 5 Jul 2013
Account taken of circumstances wihout ambiguity The respondent gave advice on home income plans. The individual claimants had assigned their initial claims to the scheme, but later sought also to have their mortgages in favour of the respondent set aside. Held: Investors having once assigned their causes of action to the ICS, could not later … Continue reading Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd v West Bromwich Building Society: HL 19 Jun 1997
The company sought to recover damages from a director who had acted dishonestly, by concealing a financial interest in a different company which had made loans to the claimant company. He replied that the claim was out of time. At first instance the first defendant had been found dishonest through non-disclosure, and that section 21 … Continue reading DEG-Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH v Koshy and Other (No 3); Gwembe Valley Development Co Ltd (in receivership) v Same (No 3): CA 28 Jul 2003
The court was asked ‘If a charity acquires property in furtherance of its charitable purposes, or as an investment, it is entitled to relief against liability to pay stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on the purchase price.’ Held: The modern approach to statutory construction is to have regard to the purpose of a particular provision … Continue reading The Pollen Estate Trustee Company Ltd and Another v HM Revenue and Customs: CA 26 Jun 2013
Exoneration of partner’s equity on insolvency The court considered the equity of exoneration, where property jointly owned by A and B is charged to secure the debts of B only, A is or may be entitled to a charge over B’s share of the property to the extent that B’s debts are paid out of … Continue reading Armstrong v Onyearu and Another: CA 11 Apr 2017
The House considered a petition by a holder of 25 of the 100 issued shares in the company against the majority shareholder. The petitioner, an ex-employee, had been taken into management and then given his shares and permitted to take 50% of the company’s profits and a salary. Later the respondent in negotiations with the … Continue reading O’Neill and Another v Phillips and Others; In re a Company (No 00709 of 1992): HL 20 May 1999
Wife in Occupation had Overriding Interest The wife had made a substantial financial contribution to the purchase price of the house which was registered only in her husband’s name, and charged to the bank. The bank sought possession. The wife resisted saying that she had an overriding interest. Held: Her equitable interest was not only … Continue reading Williams and Glyn’s Bank Ltd v Boland: HL 19 Jun 1980
The parties had cohabited for a long time, in a home bought by Ms Dowden. After the breakdown of the relationship, Mr Stack claimed an equal interest in the second family home, which they had bought in joint names. The House was asked whether, when a conveyance into joint names indicates only that each party … Continue reading Stack v Dowden: HL 25 Apr 2007
The company appealed against a finding that its stamp duty land tax saving scheme was ineffective. The court was now asked whether a sale on by a company to a newly formed partnership comprising itself and four other partners of a lease which the company had already contracted to acquire could take advantage of paragraph … Continue reading HM Revenue and Customs v DV3 RS Ltd Partnership: CA 25 Jul 2013
Appeal about the distribution of European Structural Funds among the regions of the United Kingdom. It arises out of the complaint of a number of local authorities in Merseyside and South Yorkshire about the way in which it is proposed to distribute funds allocated to the United Kingdom for the years 2014 to 2020. The … Continue reading Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills: SC 25 Feb 2015
‘This appeal is concerned with a tax avoidance scheme called Project Zephyr. The object of this scheme was to create a loss of around 84 million Euros in the hands of the appellant (‘Fidex’) which would be available for group relief throughout the BNP Paribas group of companies of which Fidex forms a part.’ Arden, … Continue reading Fidex Ltd v HM Revenue and Customs: CA 21 Apr 2016
Councillors Liable for Unlawful Purposes Use The defendant local councillors were accused of having sold rather than let council houses in order to encourage an electorate which would be more likely to be supportive of their political party. They had been advised that the policy would be unlawful and leave the authority unable to meet … Continue reading Porter and Weeks v Magill: HL 13 Dec 2001
Appropriation was not in sufficient form The claimants had challenged an order supporting the decision of the Council to use their allotments for a new primary school, saying that the land had be appropriated as allotment land, and that therefore the consent of the minister was needed. Held: The appeal failed. The use of the … Continue reading Adamson, Regina (on The Application of) v Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council: CA 18 Feb 2020
Corporation tax – joint referral – FA 1998, Sch 18, para 31A – group relief – consortium – surrendering company indirectly partly owned by Luxembourg company – condition that ‘link company’ must be UK resident or carry on a trade in the UK through a permanent establishment – s 402(3), (3A) and (3B) ICTA 1988 … Continue reading The Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company Ltd and Others v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 19 Dec 2011
The company wished to assign losses in its European subsidiaries against its profits. Since the losses were first claimed, the subsidiaries had gone into insolvent liquidation.
Held: Lord Hope said: ‘I would answer the first issue by rejecting . .
Application for directions in a pending appeal. The claimant alleged negligence against his former solicitors. After his successful claim was substantially overturned on appeal, he was made bankrupt.
Held: If the trustee adopted and pursued . .
Weekly tenancies had been granted by the purchaser of the property, title to which was unregistered, before completion. The society now sought possession of the property. The tenants argued that although their tenancies were equitable, they were . .
The appellant had purchased a computer from an associated company of the defender with finance from the defender. He complained that on his return of the computer the defender had failed to cancel the consumer credit agreement, causing him losses. . .
Damages were sought after the death of the pursuer’s husband working for the respondent. The trial judge had been satisfied that even if the defendants had performed their duty at common law and pursuant to statute, and had provided the deceased . .
The court considered whether claim as against a shipowner could be set off against sums due under a time charter hire.
Held: Save for any contractual provision to the contrary a tenant is entitled to deduct from the rent payable, so as to . .
The taxpayer companies had paid funds into a trust for employees. They sought to set off the payments against their liability to corporation tax. The revenue argued that they were deductible only in the year in which they were paid to the employees. . .
A contract for the supply by the respondents of special machinery to be manufactured by them was treated as an ordinary contract for the sale of goods. It began valid, but suffered frustration by the outbreak of war.
Held: Lord Wright restated . .
Certain investment trust companies (ITCs) sought refunds of VAT paid on the supply of investment management services. EU law however clarified that they were not due. Refunds were restricted by the Commissioners both as to the amounts and limitation . .
The appellants had overpaid under a mistake of law very substantial sums in VAT over several years. The excess had been repaid, but with simple interest and not compound interest, which the now claimed (together with other taxpayers amounting to 17 . .
Several companies within a group paid VAT. Later the basis of charge to output VAT was revised, and a reclaim became due, but the VAT group had been dissolved. Could the appellant, former lead within the group now make the reclaim.
Held: . .
FTTTx VAT – Preliminary Issues; Fleming claims; time bar; group registration; effect of leaving group; effect of disbandment; whether timeous claim by a former member of group entitles the representative member . .
The purchaser of land created a sub-sale and leaseback with bank so as to fund the purchase in a manner which would comply with Islamic finance principles. The Court was now asked whether purchaser or the bank were liable for stamp duty land tax on . .
This is a continuation of the list of significant recent cases on our front page. As a most recent case pushes its way to the top, the last on teh front page falls into here. Newest significant cases.
The expressions ‘constructive trust’ and ‘constructive trustee’ are ‘nothing more than a formula for equitable relief. It is the actual control of assets belonging beneficially to a company which causes the law to treat directors as analogous to . .
Discount on a commercial bill differs from interest because, unlike interest, it does not accrue from day to day. If the discount is income, it is assessable to the holder at maturity or when the bill is sold by the holder to a third party because . .
References: (1937) 59 CLR 641, [1937] HCA 58 Links: Austlii Coram: Dixon J (High Court of Australia) Parties to a transaction may choose to enter into it on the basis that certain facts are to be treated as correct as between themselves for the purpose of the transaction, although both know that they are contrary … Continue reading Grundt v Great Boulder Proprietary Gold Mines Limited; 8 Oct 1937
References: [2012] UKUT 242 (TCC) Links: Bailii UTTC Gaming duty – section 11 Finance Act 1997 – ‘banker’s profits’ – whether commissions and rebates to be taken into account in calculating banker’s profits Statutes: Finance Act 1997 11 This case cites: Appeal from – Aspinalls Club Ltd -v- Revenue & Customs FTTTx (Bailii, [2011] UKFTT … Continue reading Aspinalls Club Ltd v HM Revenue and Customs; UTTC 16 Jul 2012
References: [2013] UKUT 225 (TCC) Links: Bailii Coram: Norris J UTTC INCOME TAX – claim for loss on disposal of loan stock – whether loan stock a ‘relevant discounted security’ – FA 1996, Sch 13, para 3 – whether additional payment on redemption of loan stock was interest – yes – appeal dismissed. This case … Continue reading Nicholas Pike v HM Revenue and Customs; UTTC 10 May 2013
