§ Mr. Heddleasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when the legal advice to which the Controller of Stamps referred in his letter of 19 February to Messrs Mosley, Chapman and Skemp, solicitors of Bore Street, Lichfield, for Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Keay of 13 Wissage road, Lichfield will be available;
(2) what are the reasons for the delay in conveying the definite decision on the stamp duty position as mentioned in the final paragraph of the Controller of Stamp's letter to Messrs Mosley, Chapman and Skemp, dated 2 November 1985 (ref: ADJ/45201/85/EMS);
(3) if he will make a statement setting out the reasons why the Controller of Stamps (Adjudication Section) at West Block, Barrington Road, Worthing, West Sussex has not resolved the matter first raised in a letter sent by Messrs Mosley, Chapman and Skemp, solicitors, of Lichfield, on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Keay of 13 Wissage Lane, Lichfield in respect of stamp duty on a property transaction on 22 November 1985.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe delay has been due to the need for the Inland Revenue to take legal advice on this and a number of other similar cases. The Revenue hopes to be able to deal with the matter shortly.