Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Creagh and Jeremy Wright

Thursday 14th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mary Creagh]

I have visited Chester zoo and seen the wonderful work that it does in species conservation. I will endeavour to write to my hon. Friend to update him on the regulations.

[Sir Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth and Southam) (Con)]

The Government have justified their inheritance tax changes for farmers on the basis that they are concerned about people gaining short-term tax advantage by buying agricultural land. May I therefore ask whether, instead of the sweeping changes that they made, the Government considered an approach that would limit the IHT exemption to those who could demonstrate that the family farm had been in family ownership for a certain number of years? If that approach was explored, why was it not pursued? If it was not explored, why not?