Chevening (Hansard, 6 February 1997)

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, columns 425–26, if he will list the members of the management board of the Chevening Trust; and if he will make a statement. [14650]

§ Mr. Rifkind
The board of trustees of the Chevening Trust is as follows:

The Lord Privy Seal: Chairman

The right hon. Lord Cornwallis: Appointed by the Prime Minister; Deputy Chairman

The right hon. Lord Kingsdown: Appointed by the Prime Minister

Mr. W. L. Banks: Appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment

Mr. Alan Borg: Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Mr. D. A. Innes: Local Farmer co-opted in 1983, renewed 1994

Mr. W. W. A. Wells: Curator of Leeds Castle co-opted in 1992

Mr. J. Warde: Local Farmer co-opted in 1994.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 425–26, which organisations have held meetings and conferences at Chevening in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [14649]
661W

§ 1996 Mr. Rifkind
A list of meetings follows. This does not include the trustees' meetings or garden openings. I visit Chevening for about one weekend a month.
CHEVENING HOUSE
Visits/Conferences
January
Department of Transport
HM Customs and Excise
FCO: Permanent Under-Secretary
February
MOD Chief of Defence Staff
March
HM Customs and Excise
Department of Social Security
HM Customs and Excise (London)
April
May
HM Customs and Excise (London)
Cabinet Office
June
FCO Secretary of State
FCO Anglo-German Economic Summit
FCO Permanent Secretary ODA
Minister of Defence
July
FCO Cultural Relations—Chevening Scholarships
HM Treasury
August
September
FCO Secretary of State/Permanent Under-Secretary
Home Office
October
Cabinet Office
FCO Anglo—Spanish Parliamentary
November
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Ministry of Defence
December
January
FCO: Permanent Under-Secretary
Department of Trade and Industry
HM Treasury—Top Management
February
Home Office
March
Department of Social Security
April
Cabinet Office—Efficiency Unit
MOD Secretary of State
May
June
FCO—ODA Permanent Under-Secretary
662W
July
FCO
HM Treasury—Chancellor of the Exchequer
ODA
August
September
FCO
October
Cabinet Office
DOE
FCO Far Eastern Department
November
FCO Working Group for Hong Kong
FCO
FCO Anglo German Discussion
FCO Ambassadors Lunch.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, columns 425–26, if he will list the tax exemptions applicable to the Chevening Trust. [14651]

§ Mr. Rifkind
The Chevening Estate Act 1959 gives the full details of the tax exemptions applicable to the Chevening Trust. In brief, exemption is given from income tax, capital gains tax, capital transfer tax and development land tax.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what use Chevening has been put in the days he has not been in residence; and if he will make a statement. [14647]

§ Mr. Rifkind
Chevening house and the pleasure gardens are the only parts of the estate used by the nominated person. The estate remains under the ownership of the trustees, and is managed by them. I have agreed with the trustees that the house may be used by them, when I am not in residence, for meetings of senior Government officials. All meetings are co-ordinated through the protocol department of the Foreign Office. The trustees allow the gardens to be opened for charitable purposes three or four times a year. In addition, the trustees hold some of their meetings in the house.