Section 103 of the Finance Act 2001 is amended by substituting the following for subsection (2):

"(2)

(a) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 74 of the Finance Act 2002 concerning betting duty, where any amount of excise duty becomes payable under subsection (1) or under any other provision of the statutes which relate to the duties of excise, or any instrument relating to the duties of excise made under statute, and is not paid, simple interest on the amount shall be paid by the person liable to pay the duty and such interest shall be calculated from the date on which the amount became payable at a rate of 0.0322 per cent for each day or part of a day during which the amount remains unpaid.

(b) The interest payable under this section is deemed to be a debt to the Minister for Finance for the benefit of the Central Fund and shall be payable to the Commissioners and may (without prejudice to any other mode of recovery of such interest) be sued for and recovered by action, or other appropriate proceedings, at the suit of the Commissioners by an officer authorised by them for the purposes of this subsection in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) In proceedings instituted for the recovery of any amount of interest -

(i) a certificate signed by an officer which certifies that a stated amount of interest is due and payable by the defendant shall be evidence, until the contrary is proved, that that amount is so due and payable, and