HL Deb 17 July 1973 vol 344 cc1001-2

2.47 p.m.

LORD HALE

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the number of British subjects domiciled abroad and claiming substantial exemption from British taxation and what is the estimated loss of revenue involved.

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, this information is not available.

LORD HALE

My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that when I asked the same Question 20 years ago the information was then not available? While no one wants to penalise these people living abroad is he aware that since then there has been a series of financial scandals of great magnitude involving fraudulent banks and fraudulent companies; that we have now joined a Common Market which is so uncommon that there are Associate countries in which our writs of extradition do not run, and that the world is being made extremely safe for the unacceptable face of capitalism?

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, without wishing to detract from the noble Earl's eloquence I think that he should admit that to deliver the same answer 20 years later is a remarkable case of consistency in government.

LORD HALE

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that of course the same answer could have been made by Canute had he lived long enough; that there has been progress and that there is very deep public concern at this moment about a state of things in which bribery, corruption, financial fraud, financial jugglery, is becoming almost an acceptable aberration and the sort of conduct that one expects from millionaires who seem to be increasing?

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, I am not quite sure what area of malpractice the noble Lord has in mind. However, we are to have a chance to debate finance affairs next Tuesday, and if he wishes to bring to my attention any particular malpractices I will do my best to comment.

LORD HALE

My Lords, I am sorry to press the noble Earl, and I apologise for asking a further supplementary question. Is he aware that over the last 18 months I have with some regularity brought to the attention of the Government notice of these malpractices, and have raised questions about them; that the areas of non-extradition now include even part of the old British Commonwealth of Nations in Uganda and certainly in Rwanda Burundi; that the Cayman Islands have been mentioned in the House before; that even the Virgin Islands are not so intact as they were some years ago; that these areas are well known, and that as recently as last week there were Questions put, possibly in his absence, about Luxembourg and its peculiar rules about companies?

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, if the noble Lord will put his concern—and I appreciate his concern—in the form of slightly more precise questions, or if he wishes to raise these matters in slightly more precise terms in debate, I will do my best to accommodate him.