---

House of Lords (Members’ Taxation Status) Bill [HL]

It is true that today is Thursday but none the less most of our debates on the Bills introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Steel, and the noble Lord, Lord Avebury, were on a Friday. Indeed, I am very surprised that we are not debating on a Friday the Bill introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott. No doubt we can have a debate about that in due course. Perhaps I may follow the example of the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, by restating the Government’s position on the Bill. We made it clear at Second Reading that the Government support the principle of no representation without taxation. Therefore, we support the intentions behind the Bill. The Government would never seek to impede progress of a Private Member’s Bill being taken through your Lordships’ House, and we would also hope that any such Bill would be subject to appropriate scrutiny. I also said at Second Reading that we do not consider the Bill as it stands to be an appropriate vehicle to support. The Government gave a commitment in the Budget this year that the personal tax rules on residence and domiciled status would not be visited at least until the end of the next Parliament. Of course, the substantive question raised by the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, is worthy of consideration. As other noble Lords have mentioned, there is another Private Member’s Bill in another place introduced by my honourable friend Mr Gordon Prentice, which in a different way addresses the same questions of membership of Parliament and tax and residency. I have to point out once again that the principle of dealing with this matter is supported by the Government. We do not think that the Bill of the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, is the right way forward, although clearly it is helpful for us to have these debates. If future legislation is introduced, they will undoubtedly be informed by discussions both in your Lordships’ House and in another place. Of course, this has to be seen in the context of wide reform of your Lordships’ House—I hesitate to mention the cross-party working group because many of your Lordships find that a rather disagreeable thought. Clearly we are making progress, and it is hoped that we will publish a White Paper before the Summer Recess. This is a matter that clearly deserves to be considered. I thank the noble Viscount, Lord Astor, for his extraordinary tour around Europe, although the House is in some doubt about his geographical expertise. His Liechtensteins and Luxembourgs seemed to cause some confusion to all noble Lords. None the less, his amendment departs from the principle that the Government enunciated at Second Reading, and we would find it difficult to support the Bill as it stands. The comments of the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, were very interesting. He will know of the current review by Her Majesty’s Treasury. I have already said that the Government have given a commitment that the personal tax rules will not be revisited in relation to resident domiciled status until at least the end of the next Parliament. I think that that is an appropriate response for the points that he raised.