§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when a decision will be reached to enable the Commissioner of Estate Duties at Singapore to arrive at a decision on the following points, details of which have been sent to him: how to value the assets of estates during the war period; the question of the payment of interest on duty; the question of estate duty paid to the Japanese; and the remission of all, or some portion, of the duty in respect of the deaths of persons on active service and civilian war casualties.
Mr. Creech JonesI have recently supplied the Governor of Singapore with information which will, I hope, help him to expedite a decision on the first part of the Question. As regards the second and third parts, I am asking the Governor to inform me of the present position and will write to the hon. Member on receipt of his reply. As regards the last part of the Question, the Governor has informed me that active consideration is being given to the introduction of legislation which would remit, with retrospective effect, duty on the estates of persons killed as a result of the war.