HL Deb 22 February 1966 vol 273 cc91-2

2.43 p.m.

LORD GRIDLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that by a recent increase in income tax imposed by the Government of Ghana, former members of Her Majesty's Oversea Civil Service who served in that country have suffered an arbitrary deduction for tax purposes of their January, 1966, pensions, and that this has been carried out without prior notification, or assessment of the pensions of individual officers so affected, causing financial worry and a general feeling of insecurity over the whole question of pensions to former loyal servants of the Crown.]

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware that some Ghana pensioners are being required to pay higher amounts of tax without receiving assessments from the Ghana Government. There are no direct diplomatic relations with Ghana, but the representative of the protecting Power in Ghana has been asked to make representations to the Ghana authorities about the non-receipt of tax assessments by Ghana pensioners. The latest information is that the assessments will be sent without further delay.

LORD GRIDLEY

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, would he not agree that the position is most unsatisfactory? With the January pension payments pensioners received a notice from the Ghana Commonwealth Bank with a notification saying that their pensions had been subjected to tax deductions, and that their only course for rectification was to approach the Ghana income tax authorities. Would Her Majesty's Government not agree that it is altogether too much for individual pensioners to take up these questions with the Ghana income tax authorities, when experience has shown that they do not acknowledge the communications they receive, or give any replies to the letters which are sent to them?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I think it would be wrong for Her Majesty's Government to accept any responsibility in this matter. The responsibility for the levying of taxation is that of the Government of Ghana. But as the noble Lord probably knows, a delegation of representatives of the Oversea Service Pensioners Association has discussed this matter with the Ministry of Overseas Development, and I think that what can be done is being done.