§ I should also mention one other change in estate duty which, although comparatively minor, is important to protect our national heritage. The Finance Act 1930 allows a wide range of objects of historic or artistic value to be exempted from estate duty. In addition, under the Finance Act 1956, the Government can accept an individual outstanding work of art in payment of estate duty. It was thought in 1969 that historic documents were covered by the 1956 Act as well as the 1930 Act. Subsequent legal advice has shown that this is not in fact the case. To put the matter right, the two Acts will be aligned so as to enable the same categories of objects to be accepted in payment of estate duty as can already be exempted from duty.
§ The necessary steps will be taken to apply these two estate duty changes to Northern Ireland.