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An Act to confirm and give effect to a vesting deed and trust instrument relating to the Chevening Estate and other property, and for purposes connected therewith.
[9th July 1959]
Whereas by a vesting deed (in this Act referred to as “the vesting deed”) dated the twelfth day of May nineteen hundred and fifty–nine and made between The Right Honourable James Richard Earl Stanhope (in this Act referred to as “the Settlor”) of the one part and Coutts and Company of the other part the freehold property therein described (consisting of Chevening House in the County of Kent and certain lands held therewith) was declared to be vested in the Settlor in fee simple upon the trusts declared in a trust instrument of even date therewith:
And whereas by the trust instrument set out in the Schedule to this Act (in this Act referred to as “the trust instrument”), being the trust instrument referred to in the vesting deed, the said freehold property and the chattels, investments, moneys and other property therein mentioned were declared to be settled upon the trusts and subject to the powers and provisions set out in that instrument:
And whereas it is expedient that the vesting deed and the trust instrument (in so far as they would otherwise not have had effect) should have effect by the authority of Parliament:
C1Act amended by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 3(2)(a)
I1Act wholly in force at Royal Assent
(1)The vesting deed and the trust instrument are hereby confirmed, and shall have effect, and be deemed to have had effect as from the execution thereof, notwithstanding any rule of law or equity which apart from this subsection would have affected their validity:
Provided that this subsection shall not affect any right or interest in respect of any of the property comprised in the vesting deed or the trust instrument, being a right or interest to which a person other than the Settlor was entitled immediately before the execution of the vesting deed.
(2)The vesting deed shall be taken to comply with the requirements of section five of the M1Settled Land Act 1925 (which relates to the contents of vesting deeds) notwithstanding that it does not contain all the statements and particulars mentioned in that section.
(3)Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1) of section one hundred and six or subsection (2) of section one hundred and eight of the M2Settled Land Act 1925 (which relate respectively to provisions for limiting the exercise of powers conferred by that Act and to cases of conflict between the provisions of a settlement and the provisions of that Act), in so far as the trust instrument provides for the application of any provisions of, or powers conferred by, that Act, those provisions or powers shall apply subject to any modifications or restrictions specified in relation thereto in the trust instrument.
(4)Section twenty–two of the M3Administration of Estates Act 1925 (which relates to the appointment of special executors in respect of settled land) shall apply in relation to the trust instrument subject to the provisions of that instrument relating to that section.
(5)It is hereby declared that this Act is the Act referred to in the trust instrument as the intended Act of Parliament confirming that instrument.
(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, exemption shall be granted—
(a)from income tax chargeable under . . . F1 Schedule B in respect of any land which is for the time being held upon the trusts of the trust instrument, being either land which a person is for the time being permitted to occupy, use or enjoy in accordance with the trusts of the trust instrument or land which is for the time being occupied by [F2the Board in its capacity as trustee]under the trust instrument;
(b)from income tax chargeable . . . F1, under Schedule D, in respect of the rents and profits of any land which is for the time being held upon the trusts of the trust instrument;
(c)from income tax chargeable under Schedule C in respect of any interest, annuities, dividends or shares of annuities, or under Schedule D in respect of any yearly interest or other annual payment, which constitutes income arising from and subject to those trusts.
(2)None of the exemptions granted by the preceding subsection shall have effect in respect of any income tax which (apart from that subsection) would be chargeable for any year of assessment, in so far as that tax would be so chargeable—
(a)in respect of a period during which the life interest of the Settlor under the trust instrument continues to subsist, whether that interest for the time being remains vested in the Settlor or not, or
(b)in respect of any period after all the trusts declared by the trust instrument (except the trust contained therein in favour of the National Trust) have failed or determined.
(3)The exemption granted by paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section shall not extend to tax in respect of any rent payable or other annual payment to be made by the [F3Board] in respect of any land for the time being held upon the trusts of the trust instrument.
(4)Notwithstanding anything in paragaph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, any assessment upon any property falling within that paragraph shall not be vacated or altered but shall be in force and levied notwithstanding the allowance of any such exemption as is mentioned in that paragraph.
(5)For the purposes of the enactments relating to estate duty, the property passing, or deemed to pass, on the death of the Settlor shall be taken not to include any property which, immediately before the death of the Settlor, is property held upon the trusts of the trust instrument:
Provided that this subsection shall not apply to any chattels which, immediately before the death of the Settlor, are held upon the trusts of the trust instrument but are given or bequeathed by him in pursuance of Clause 18 of that instrument.
(6)For the purposes of the said enactments, the property passing, or deemed to pass, on the death of the Settlor shall also be taken not to include any property which by his will is given or directed to be held upon the trusts of the trust instrument, except—
(a)any property which is so given or directed to be held subject to one or more prior interests, other than annuities;
(b)any property which is appropriated for the payment (whether by way of purchase or otherwise) of one or more annuities given by the will of the Settlor;
(c)if by the will of the Settlor any property is charged with, or given conditionally upon, the payment of one or more annuities, and no property is so appropriated for the payment of those annuities, the property so charged or given.
(7)For the purposes of the said enactments—
(a)any property which by the will of the Settlor is given or directed to be held as mentioned in paragraph (a) of the last preceding subsection shall not be taken to be or to form part of property passing, or deemed to pass, on the death of any person entitled to any such prior interest as is therein mentioned, if on the cesser of that prior interest the property is directed to be held in possession upon the trusts of the trust instrument;
(b)property which is appropriated for the payment of one or more annuities given by the will of the Settlor, but which (subject thereto) is directed to be held upon the trusts of the trust instrument, shall not be taken to be or to form part of property passing, or deemed to pass, on the death of any of the annuitants;
and no property which is for the time being held upon the trusts of the trust instrument shall be taken to be or to form part of property passing, or deemed to pass, on the death of any person other than the Settlor, by reason only that it is property which, before that person’s death, he was permitted to occupy, use or enjoy in accordance with those trusts.
(8)No stamp duty shall be payable, or be deemed to have been payable,—
(a)on the vesting deed or the trust instrument, or
(b) . . . F4
(c)on any instrument which, after the death of the Settlor, is executed in favour of [F5the Board], being an instrument in respect of which stamp duty, if payable, would be payable out of moneys held upon the trusts of the trust instrument;
and any stamp duty paid on any instrument, whether before or after the passing of this Act, if by virtue of this subsection no stamp duty should have been charged thereon, shall be repaid.
(9)In this section any reference to permission to occupy, use or enjoy any property in accordance with the trusts of the trust instrument is a reference to permission to occupy, use or enjoy that property as a person nominated in that behalf in accordance with those trusts, or as a person holding office as an ambassador, High Commissioner or other diplomatic representative as mentioned in the trust instrument.
(10)In this section [F6“the Board” ]and “the National Trust” have the same meanings respectively as in the trust instrument, and any reference to the will of the Settlor includes a reference to any codicil to that will.
F1Words repealed by Finance Act 1963 (c. 25), Sch. 13 Pt. I as respects tax for the year 1964-65 and subsequent years
F2Words substituted by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 4(a)
F3Word substituted by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 3(1), Sch. 2 para. 1(1)
F4S. 2(8)(b) repealed by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 4(b)
F5Words substituted by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 4(b)
F6Words substituted by Chevening Estate Act 1987 (c. 20, SIF 57), s. 4(c)
C1The text of s. 2(3)(4)(repealed by Finance Act 1963 (c. 25), Sch. 13 Pt. I as respects tax for the year 1964-65 and subsequent years) is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.
This Act may be cited as the Chevening Estate Act 1959.
Chevening Estate Act 1959