§ 57. Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that in many cases the only means of raising money for the payment of Death Duties is by the sale of ground rents or other securities which have not and cannot have any minimum price fixed, and which are unrealisable at the present time or can only be sold at a ruinous price; and if he is prepared to meet such cases of hardship, which have arisen in consequence of the War?
§ Mr McKENNAThe experience of my advisers suggests that the hon. Baronet rather over-estimates the difficulty of raising money for the payment of Death Duties. I may, moreover, remind him that where at the time of death securities are depreciated in value, the relative charge of Death Duties, based on the value of the securities at that time, is correspondingly low.
§ Mr. JAMES MASONIs the minimum price in any case taken as the value of a security?
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is the subject of investigation and inquiry at the present time. We are not taking the minimum price.