Estate Duty Office (Transfer)

HC Deb 04 August 1947 vol 441 cc125-6W

Mr. Beechman

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps are being taken to expedite work in his Department in connection with probate and Estate Duty, in view of the fact that cases of hardship arise outside London,

gating officers precisely on the lines of the Question. On the following table are shown the figures of staff in Departments employed on a wide variety of investigations and inspections. Figures of costs for these staffs are not available centrally, and it would take an undue amount of staff time to collect them from Departments.

in particular in the South-West area, owing to delay.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

The delay to which the hon. Member refers arose through the dislocation of work caused by the transfer of the Estate Duty Office from Llandudno to Harrow. The time taken to deal with these cases is being rapidly reduced and the position should be satisfactory in a week or so.