§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he has made of the special tax position of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; and if he will bring forward legislation to abolish the special tax position.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonThe Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom but dependencies of the Crown, with their own legislative, legal, fiscal and administrative systems. It would be contrary to the constitutional relationship with the Islands for the United Kingdom to seek to legislate in the ordinary course on any matter which is domestic to the Islands, and in particular on taxation.
§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he has made of the evidence supplied to him by the hon. Member for Cannock of assets of £1,000 million escaping United Kingdom taxation in Jersey alone; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI have asked the Inland Revenue to look into this allegation but no details of such assets have been provided which would enable any specific tax avoidance or evasion to be identified.