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

I must intervene on that point. It is not correct that you sign a form saying that you do not intend to remain in this country. You have to have an intention of returning to your own country at some point, but that can be a moving target. For example, it could be when your first child is born, then when your first child is 10. It does not have to be a fixed target at all. Therefore, the noble Lord’s statement is wrong. He also said that the Bill is not intended to change anyone’s taxation status. Yet, Clause 1(1) states that you are, ""deemed to be resident … and in no other country"." That is an attempt not only to change your taxation status but to change your status in your country of origin, whatever that may be. The noble Lord has not really covered a further point. He keeps talking about the £30,000 figure and saying how marvellous that is for someone who has a heap of money. Sure enough, it may be. I remember that the famous Harrods man was very concerned when the right to pay only £250,000 in tax a year was taken away. If he were still living in this country, instead of having moved to Switzerland, £30,000 would seem a good bargain to him by comparison. If people have an income that would attract tax of less than £30,000, they have the option of just paying tax on whatever it is. You might have to pay tax of only £5,000. It depends purely on what your income is in the other country. Even the expert noble Lord, Lord Goodhart, has said that the phrase, ""in no other country for taxation"," needs to be looked at. I draw the noble Lord’s attention to the statement that the noble Lord, Lord Goodhart, made.