Civil Partners: Siblings Debate

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Civil Partners: Siblings

Lord Tebbit Excerpts
Wednesday 9th September 2015

(8 years, 8 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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My Lords, perhaps I did not explain it properly, but there is an exemption of £325,000, which a spouse may pass on to their surviving partner when they die. That can then be passed down to their children or grandchildren, and there is an additional tax-free exemption of £175,000 on the main property, which can also be passed over in the same way.

Lord Tebbit Portrait Lord Tebbit (Con)
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My Lords, do the words “slippery slope” come into my noble friend’s mind as she answers these questions?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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My Lords, the words “society has changed” comes into my mind as we debate this. I have had many discussions with my children on it, and I reminded them that 200 years ago slavery was alive and well and living in this country, and 40 years ago, when I was a child, there were bed and breakfasts that said “No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs”. We are now in the 21st century, society has moved on, and as an Irishwoman, I can tell noble Lords that no one was happier than me that Ireland had moved on.