HC Deb 19 November 2001 vol 375 cc138-9W
Mr. Flight

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage and what amount in real terms of inheritance tax was paid by each income quintile in the last year for which figures are available; [15923]

(2) what plans he has to reform tax avoidance in relation to inheritance tax liabilities for persons in the upper earnings quintiles. [15925]

Dawn Primarolo

No statistics are available linking inheritance tax liabilities with the relative income level either of transferors in their lifetime, or of transferees. The Government take tax avoidance seriously whoever practises it; experience does not suggest that inheritance tax avoidance is necessarily confined to the upper income quintiles, and if we find that action is needed it will apply across the board.

Forward to