This in from the office of Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely. Ed
Isle of Wight MP, Bob Seely, has put the Island forward as the location of any future study in England to gauge the benefits of lower VAT for the tourism industry.
Bob called for a statement or debate on the benefits of lower VAT on coastal communities and added the Island was ideally placed to be at the forefront of any research, when he recently raised the issue in Parliament.
Self contained area that would greatly benefit
He called for a study on the effects of a lower VAT rate for tourism, “in coastal communities such as the Isle of Wight, and more generally on measures to support coastal tourism in the UK. May I recommend the Isle of Wight?” He asked Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom.
Bob said that much of the Island’s GDP comes from tourism, and in addition “it is a self-contained area that would greatly benefit from such a study into lower VAT on tourism.” He also said that it had some of the highest rates of sunshine in the UK.
The Minister replied she understood Bob’s desire for more effort to be made for coastal communities.
An important issue on the Island
Speaking afterwards, Bob said he would continue to press the Government to take action on measures to support tourism and economic development on the Isle of Wight.
“This is an important issue on the Island and I will do all I can to ensure the Government seriously looks at supporting coastal communities, with the Isle of Wight hopefully at the forefront of any study.”
Image: © Parliament TV
