Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money had been collected and held by the Treasury Solicitor from unclaimed estates in the last five years.

The net money collected from bona vacantia unclaimed estates in England*, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Treasury Solicitor in the last five financial years is as follows:

2012/13 £3.3 million

2013/14 £-1.3 million

2014/15 £3.2 million

2015/16 £12.3 million

2016/17 £6.4 million

* excluding the Duchies of Lancaster & Cornwall. Estates in the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster are dealt with by Farrer and Co. Solicitors, with monies passed on to charity.

Scotland estates are dealt with by the Ultimus Heares Unit in Glasgow.