§ 80. Sir A. Gridleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the proposals of the French Government to impose a levy on capital assets owned in France by British nationals, whether resident or not, and a further more highly graduated tax on the increase in value of their assets in France as between 1st January, 1940, and 4th June, 1945; whether he is satisfied 19W that British nationals are protected from such impositions by the terms of Article 11 of the Anglo-French Treaty of 28th February, 1882; whether he is aware that all British nationals who have assets in France were asked for returns of their assets in France by 18th February, 1946; and what steps he proposes to take to protect the assets of British nationals.
Mr. Noel-BakerYes, Sir. My attention has been drawn to the French Government's proposed tax known as the Imp ô t de Solidar it éNationale. I am advised that exemption from this tax cannot be sought under Article 11 of the Commercial Convention of 1882 in respect of landed property. I am informed that the date by which the approximate returns must be made has been postponed. Individuals in France must make their returns by 15th April and associations in France were under an obligation to make them by 1st March (except in devastated areas, where the date is 15th April). Individuals and associations outside France must make their returns within four moths from the date of the receipt of the relevant forms by the local French Mission. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary said in answer to a question on 19th February, His Majesty's Government do not propose to contest the general principle of the tax.