§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to how much money has been donated by individuals to charities in the United Kingdom in each of the last three available years.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 1 February 1988]: I regret that no comprehensive information on all types of giving to charities is available. Covenanted giving to charities amounted to some £350 million in 1983–84, £400 million in 1984–85, and £450 million in 1985–86. With regard to gifts to charities on death, the figures available relate only to estates above the value at which capital transfer tax or inheritance tax would be payable in the absence of exemptions. For these estates the amounts reported were £200 million in 1983–84, £260 million in 1984–85, and £400 million in 1985–86.