asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the annual gift level of £250 per donee for inheritance tax was first set; and at what level it would now be if it had been uprated in line with inflation. [HL3530]

The exemption from inheritance tax of gifts of up to £250 to any one person was set at this amount at 6 April 1980. If this figure had been uprated in line with the retail prices index it would currently stand at £900.