§ Mr. BUTCHERasked whether the picture by Mabuse recently sold by Lady Carlisle to the Trustees of the National Gallery formed part of a collection of pictures, prints, books, manuscripts, works of art, or other things not yielding income bequeathed to her by the late Lord Carlisle, and appearing to the Treasury to be of national, or historic, or artistic interest; and, if so, what was the total principal value of such collection; whether the rate of duty chargeable in respect of the said picture should be calculated at the rate appropriate to the total principal value of the said collection; and whether the duty which was in fact charged in respect of the said picture was at the rate appropriate to the total principal value of the said collection or at the rate appropriate to the value of the said picture?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have no information that any article of national, scientific, historic or artistic interest, other than the picture by Mabuse, was bequeathed to Lady Carlisle by the late Lord Carlisle. The remainder of the hon. Member's question therefore does not arise.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiry?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEReally, that is hardly the duty of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. BUTCHERIs it not the duty of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to collect the proper duty and make inquiries to enable him to do so?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGECertainly, and that is done. But it is not the duty of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to inquire into the private and personal affairs of anybody.
§ Mr. BUTCHERasked whether any valuation was made by or on behalf of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, under Section 7, Sub-sections (5) and (8), of the Finance Act, 1894, of the picture by Mabuse recently sold to the Trustees of the National Gallery by Lady Carlisle, and, if so, what was the amount of such valuation; whether the value of the picture was between £50,000 and £60,000 more than the sum received for it by Lady Carlisle; and whether he will state how the Death Duty of £2,776 charged in respect of such picture was arrived at, and, in particular, at what rate such duty was charged and what the value of the picture was taken to be for the purpose of calculating such duty?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGENo valuation of the picture by Mabuse, by or on behalf of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, was made, but their expert was satisfied that its value was substantially over the £40,000 paid for it. In the circumstances Death Duties were charged on this sum only, as representing such part of the total value as was not in the nature of a gift. The £2,776 represents Estate Duty at 6 per cent. upon £40,000—namely, £2,400—and Legacy Duty at 1 per cent. upon £37,600 (being the £40,000, less the amount of the Estate Duty), namely, £376.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWhy was not duty charged upon the full value of the picture?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIf the hon. Member had listened to the answer, he would have heard the explanation.