Legislation – Subsidy Control Act 2022

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Introduction

PART 1
Overview and key interpretation

1 Overview and application of Act

2 “Subsidy”

3 Financial assistance which confers an economic advantage

4 Financial assistance which is specific

5 Section 2: modification for air carriers

6 “Public authority”

7 “Enterprise”

8 Persons under common control

9 The subsidy control principles and the energy and environment principles

10 Subsidy schemes and streamlined subsidy schemes

11 Subsidies and schemes of interest or particular interest

PART 2
Subsidy control requirements

CHAPTER 1 Principles

12 Application of the subsidy control principles

13 Application of the energy and environment principles

CHAPTER 2 Prohibitions and other requirements

Introductory

14 Introductory

General prohibitions

15 Unlimited guarantees

16 Export performance

17 Use of domestic goods or services

18 Relocation of activities

Ailing or insolvent enterprises

19 Rescuing

20 Restructuring

21 Restructuring deposit takers or insurance companies

22 Liquidating deposit takers or insurance companies

23 Liquidity provision for deposit takers or insurance companies

24 Meaning of “ailing or insolvent”

25 Meaning of “deposit taker”

26 Meaning of “insurance company”

Other specific prohibitions and requirements

27 Subsidies for insurers that provide export credit insurance

28 Subsidies for air carriers for the operation of routes

29 Services of public economic interest

Subsidy schemes

30 Effect of prohibitions etc in relation to subsidy schemes

Subsidies or schemes subject to mandatory referral

31 Subsidies or schemes subject to mandatory referral

CHAPTER 3 Transparency

32 Subsidy database

33 Duty to include information in the subsidy database

34 Information to be included in the subsidy database

PART 3
Exemptions

CHAPTER 1 Introductory

35 Introductory

CHAPTER 2 Minimal or SPEI financial assistance

Minimal financial assistance

36 Minimal financial assistance

37 Section 36: procedural requirements

Services of public economic interest assistance

38 Services of public economic interest assistance

39 Section 38: procedural requirements

General

40 Mergers and acquisitions

41 Exemption for certain subsidies given to SPEI enterprises

42 Chapter 2: supplementary and interpretative provision

CHAPTER 3 Emergencies etc.

43 Natural disasters and other exceptional circumstances

44 National or global economic emergencies

CHAPTER 4 Other miscellaneous exemptions

45 National security

46 Bank of England monetary policy

47 Financial stability

48 Legacy and withdrawal agreement subsidies

49 Tax measures

50 Large cross-border or international cooperation projects

51 Nuclear energy

PART 4
CMA: referrals and functions

CHAPTER 1 Functions on referrals of subsidies and schemes

Mandatory referrals

52 Mandatory referral to CMA

53 CMA reporting period for mandatory referral

54 Cooling off period following mandatory referral

55 Call-in direction

Voluntary referrals

56 Voluntary referral to CMA

57 CMA reporting period for voluntary referral

58 Call-in direction following voluntary referral

Mandatory and voluntary referrals: contents of CMA report

59 CMA report following mandatory or voluntary referral

Post-award referrals

60 Post-award referrals

61 CMA reporting period for post-award referrals

62 CMA report following post-award referral

Exemptions

63 Referrals in relation to subsidy schemes

64 Other exemptions

CHAPTER 2 General functions

65 Monitoring and reporting on subsidy control

66 CMA annual report

67 Information-gathering powers

CHAPTER 3 Subsidy Advice Unit

68 Subsidy Advice Unit

69 References to subsidy control groups

PART 5
Enforcement

70 Review of subsidy decisions

71 Time limits for applications under section 70

72 CAT powers on review: England and Wales and Northern Ireland

73 CAT powers on review: Scotland

74 Recovery orders

75 Appeals against decisions of the CAT

76 Duty to provide pre-action information

77 Misuse of subsidies

PART 6
Miscellaneous and general

CHAPTER 1 Miscellaneous

78 Subsidies and schemes in primary legislation

79 Guidance

80 Disclosure of information

81 Modifications to subsidies and schemes

82 Gross cash and gross cash equivalent amount of financial assistance

83 Minor amendment to the Financial Services Act 2021

CHAPTER 2 General

84 Financial provision

85 Crown application

86 Power to make consequential provision

87 Regulations

88 Directions

89 Interpretation

90 Extent

91 Commencement

92 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 The subsidy control principles

SCHEDULE 2 The energy and environment principles

SCHEDULE 3 Subsidies provided by primary legislation

Changes to legislation:

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SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 3Subsidies provided by primary legislation

Section 78

Introductory

1

This Schedule provides for the application of this Act in the case of subsidies provided by means of primary legislation.

2

(1)

In this Schedule—

appropriate authority” means—

(a)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act of Parliament, a Minister of the Crown or the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs;

(b)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act of the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Ministers;

(c)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act or Measure of Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Ministers;

(d)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the appropriate Northern Ireland department;

appropriate court” means—

(a)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act of the Scottish Parliament, the Court of Session;

(b)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act or Measure of Senedd Cymru, the High Court in England and Wales;

(c)

in relation to a subsidy provided by means of an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the High Court in Northern Ireland;

devolved legislature”, in relation to devolved primary legislation, means—

(a)

the Scottish Parliament, in the case of an Act of that Parliament;

(b)

Senedd Cymru, in the case of an Act or Measure of Senedd Cymru;

(c)

the Northern Ireland Assembly, in the case of an Act of that Assembly;

devolved primary legislation” means primary legislation that is not an Act of Parliament;

promoter”, in relation to a Bill introduced in Parliament, means (subject to sub-paragraph (2)) the member of Parliament in charge of the Bill;

promoter”, in relation to proposed devolved primary legislation, means (subject to sub-paragraph (2))—

(a)

in the case of a Bill introduced in the Scottish Parliament—

  1. (i)

    the Scottish Ministers, or

  2. (ii)

    where the member of the Scottish Parliament in charge of the Bill is not a member of the Scottish Government, that member of the Parliament;

(b)

in the case of a Bill or proposed Assembly Measure introduced in Senedd Cymru—

  1. (i)

    the Welsh Ministers, or

  2. (ii)

    where the member of the Senedd in charge of the Bill or Measure is not a member of the Welsh Government, that member of the Senedd;

(c)

in the case of a Bill introduced in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the member of the Assembly in charge of the Bill;

proposed devolved primary legislation” means—

(a)

in the case of devolved primary legislation of the Scottish Parliament, a Bill for an Act of that Parliament;

(b)

in the case of devolved primary legislation of Senedd Cymru, a Bill for an Act of the Senedd or, in the case of a proposed Assembly Measure, a Measure of the Senedd;

(c)

in the case of devolved primary legislation of the Northern Ireland Assembly, a Bill for an Act of that Assembly;

proposed primary legislation” means—

(a)

a Bill introduced in Parliament or proposed devolved primary legislation, or

(b)

a proposal to introduce any such Bill or proposed devolved primary legislation;

subsidy proceedings” means proceedings before the appropriate court in connection with this Act in relation to a subsidy provided by means of devolved primary legislation.

(2)

Where a subsidy provided by means of primary legislation resulted from an amendment to the proposed primary legislation concerned, the “promoter” of the proposed primary legislation for the purposes of this Schedule, so far as relating to that subsidy, is the member who tabled or lodged the amendment.

3

(1)

The definition of “subsidy” in section 2 applies for the purposes of this Schedule (so far as the context requires) as if the reference in subsection (1)(a) of that section to financial assistance given by a public authority were a reference to financial assistance provided by means of primary legislation.

(2)

Section 4 applies for the purposes of this Schedule as if—

(a)

the reference in subsection (4) of that section to financial assistance given by a public authority were a reference to financial assistance provided by means of primary legislation, and

(b)

the reference in subsection (5)(c) of that section to the public authority whose normal taxation regime it is were a reference to the legislature concerned.

(3)

The definition of “subsidy scheme” in section 10 applies for the purposes of this Schedule as if the reference in subsection (1) of that section to a scheme made by a public authority were a reference to a scheme made by primary legislation.

4

In this Schedule references to a subsidy provided by means of primary legislation—

(a)

include references to a subsidy given by a public authority under a duty imposed by that legislation;

(b)

do not include references to a subsidy given by a public authority under a power conferred by that legislation (but see section 1(7)).

5

In this Schedule—

(a)

references to a subsidy provided by means of primary legislation include references to a subsidy scheme made by that legislation;

(b)

references to a subsidy given by a public authority include references to a subsidy scheme made by the authority.

Application of principles

6

(1)

Chapter 1 of Part 2 (application of principles) applies to subsidies provided by means of devolved primary legislation as it applies to subsidies given by public authorities.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

references in that Chapter to a public authority are to be taken as references to the devolved legislature in relation to the devolved primary legislation concerned;

(b)

in subsidy proceedings before the appropriate court in connection with this paragraph, the requirements imposed by that Chapter on public authorities to consider and form a view are to be assessed by reference to the considerations and views of the promoter of the proposed devolved primary legislation.

Prohibitions etc and exemptions

7

(1)

Chapter 2 of Part 2 (prohibitions and other requirements), and Part 3 (exemptions), applies to subsidies provided by means of devolved primary legislation as they apply to subsidies given by public authorities.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

references in Chapter 2 of Part 2, and in Part 3, to a public authority are to be taken as references to the devolved legislature in relation to the devolved primary legislation concerned;

(b)

in subsidy proceedings before the appropriate court in connection with this paragraph, the requirements imposed by Chapter 2 of Part 2 on public authorities to be satisfied of any matter are to be assessed by reference to the promoter of the proposed devolved primary legislation;

(c)

sections 21 and 23 apply as if, for subsection (4) in each of those sections, there were substituted—

“(4)

The condition in this subsection is that there has been, or there is a reasonable expectation that there will be, proper remuneration for the subsidy.”;

(d)

section 29 applies as if, for subsection (6), there were substituted—

“(6)

Where a subsidy is given to a SPEI enterprise by means of devolved primary legislation, there must be arrangements in place for—

(a)

regular reviews to take place as to the use of the subsidy to ensure the condition that the amount of the subsidy is limited to what is necessary to deliver the SPEI services continues to be met, and

(b)

the taking of steps to recover a subsidy to the extent that the condition ceases to be met.”;

(e)

sections 37 and 39 are to be ignored.

Transparency

8

(1)

Chapter 3 of Part 2 (which provides for the subsidy database) applies to subsidies provided by means of primary legislation as it applies to subsidies given by public authorities.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

references in that Chapter to a public authority are to be taken as references to the appropriate authority;

(b)

the references in section 33 to a subsidy given, or a subsidy scheme made, by the authority are to be taken as references to a subsidy or scheme provided by means of primary legislation.

CMA referrals

9

(1)

Sections 56, 57 and 59 (voluntary referrals to the CMA) apply to subsidies in proposed primary legislation as they apply to subsidies to be given by public authorities.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

references in those sections to a public authority are to be taken as references to the appropriate authority and (if different) the promoter of the proposed primary legislation concerned;

(b)

section 56 is to be read as if—

(i)

in subsection (1), after “of interest”, there were inserted “or particular interest”;

(ii)

in subsection (2)(c), after “of interest”, there were inserted “or particular interest”;

(c)

section 57 is to be read as if—

(i)

in subsection (1), after “section 56(2)” there were inserted “in respect of a subsidy, or subsidy scheme, of interest”;

(ii)

in subsection (2), after “section 56(1)” there were inserted “in respect of a subsidy, or subsidy scheme, of interest”;

(iii)

after subsection (2) there were inserted—

“(2A)

The CMA must, before the end of five working days beginning with the day on which a request is received under section 56(1) in respect of a subsidy, or subsidy scheme, of particular interest, give notice to the appropriate authority—

(a)

that the request complies with the requirements under section 56, or

(b)

providing reasons as to why the request does not comply with those requirements.”;

(iv)

in subsection (3), after “subsection (2)(a)” there were inserted “or (2A)(a)”;

(v)

in subsection (5), after “subsection (2)(a)” there were inserted “or (2A)(a)”.

Recovery orders

10

(1)

Section 74 applies in subsidy proceedings before the appropriate court as it applies to proceedings under Part 5 before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

section 74 is to be read as if, for subsection (1), there were substituted—

“(1)

The appropriate court may make a recovery order if—

(a)

in exercise of its powers, it determines that relief should be granted in respect of a subsidy provided by means of devolved primary legislation, and

(b)

in reaching that determination the appropriate court finds that the giving of the subsidy, or the making of the subsidy scheme under which it was given, did not comply with a requirement of Chapter 1 or 2 of Part 2.”;

(b)

subsection (2)(a) of that section is to be read as if, for the words from “a public authority” to “that subsidy”, there were substituted “the appropriate authority to recover a subsidy provided by means of devolved primary legislation”;

(c)

subsection (2)(b) of that section is to be read as if the reference to the public authority were a reference to the appropriate authority;

(d)

subsection (4) of that section is to be ignored.

Pre-action information

11

(1)

Section 76 (duty to provide pre-action information) applies to subsidies provided by means of devolved primary legislation as it applies to subsidies given by public authorities.

(2)

For this purpose—

(a)

references in that section to a public authority are to be taken as references to the appropriate authority;

(b)

the reference in subsection (1) of that section to a subsidy or subsidy scheme that the authority has given or made is to be taken as a reference to a subsidy or subsidy scheme provided by means of devolved primary legislation;

(c)

subsection (2)(b) of that section is to be read as if—

(i)

for the words “a review of a subsidy decision under section 70” there were substituted “relief in subsidy proceedings before the appropriate court”;

(ii)

for “the decision” there were substituted “the subsidy or scheme in question”.

Time limits

12

The power under section 86 to make consequential provision includes power to make provision, in relation to subsidy proceedings before the appropriate court, corresponding or similar to provision made by section 71 in relation to proceedings under Part 5 before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.