§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
What level of douceur is available as relief from capital transfer tax, to owners of land of scientific interest who dispose of that land to the Nature Conservancy Council, and if the same douceur would apply if the land was sold to the RSPB or other national voluntary nature conservation organisations.
§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Lord Cockfield)A sale of land of outstanding scientific interest by private treaty to the Nature Conservancy Council would not result in any charge to capital transfer tax or capital gains tax. The benefit of the exemption would be shared between the vendor and the Nature Conservancy Council under the so calleddouceur arrangement, the former's share being 10 per cent. The douceur arrangement does not apply to private treaty purchases by the RSPB or any other organisation which is not among the bodies referred to in paragraph 12 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 1975.
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