Mr. MACLEANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of estates that have been registered as limited companies by landowners in Great Britain during the last 10 years; the number where the landowners at the time of the formation of such companies have died; whether any Death Duties have been paid to the Exchequer in respect of those estates; and, if not, the approximate amount which has been lost to the Exchequer by the formation of such companies?
Mr. SNOWDENI regret that the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available. From the nature of the case, any loss of revenue due to the formation of the companies referred to could only be purely conjectural, but my hon. Friend may rest assured that the general question of avoidance of Death Duties by this means is one which is engaging the attention of the Government.