Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) buildings, (b) estates, (c) parklands and (d) objects with national (i) scientific and (ii) historic interest have been granted exemption from inheritance tax and capital gains tax in each of the last 10 years.
The estimated cost of the inheritance tax exemption for heritage assets can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs The cost of the capital gains tax exemption for heritage assets is not available.
The legislation was introduced to protect national heritage assets. Where there has been a failure to meet the undertakings, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) approach is to work with owners in order to put things right. It has not in the last 10 years been necessary for HMRC to remove an exemption.
The table below sets out the number of exemptions (by claim) granted in each year for the categories listed within the legislation over the last ten years:
| Pre-eminent objects s.31(1)(a)IHTA and (aa) | Land s.31(1)(b)IHTA | Buildings & amenity land s.31(1)(c) and (d) IHTA | Historically associated objects s.31(1)(e)IHTA |
2007/08 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
2008/09 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
2009/10 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
2010/11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
2011/12 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
2012/13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2013/14 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
2014/15 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2015/16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
2016/17 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Sixteen people within HMRC are involved in ensuring undertakings are adhered to.