Tax exiles could be blocked from serving as peers
MPs propose introduction of law to stop tax exiles from serving in the House of Lords
Tax exiles could be forced to step down from the House of Lords unless they
domicile themselves in the UK, a reform bill could suggest.
MPs have put pressure on the government to look at a bill on constitutional
reform as providing the opportunity to introduce legislation stopping tax exiles
from serving as peers.
Sir Gus O’Donnell was quizzed on the matter during a public administration
select committee meeting yesterday, reported the Guardian.
Sir Gus,
cabinet
secretary and head of the Home Civil Service, said it was not clear
who would have responsibility to enforce and introduce such a rule.
Controversy has surrounded the domicile status of Tory peer Lord Ashcroft,
who has refused to say whether he has hounoured his pledge to give up his tax
exile status.
Further reading:
Time
to intervene in Lords tax dodge