MPs voted last night on an amendment, by Labour MP Paula Sherriff, to the Finance Bill which attempted to get rid of the 5% VAT rate on items such as sanitary products.
Dubbed in the media as the ‘tampon tax’, the motion was rejected by 305 to 287 votes. Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner voted against the motion.
Critics of the 5% VAT figure on sanitary items such as pads and tampons argue they are essential items, not ‘luxuries’ and add the VAT figure does not apply to men’s sanitary items, such as razor blades.
Labour MP Stella Creasey gave this speech during the debate where she highlighted the concerns of an unequal society.
.@StellaCreasy explains why tampons should not be taxed as luxury items, during a debate on the current 5% tax
https://t.co/vWKxPfl36e
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 27, 2015
Lowest VAT figure under EU rules
VAT on sanitary products had already been reduced by the Labour Government in 2000 from 17.5% to 5%. However, due to EU rules, the VAT figure is the lowest it can be at present.
According to the Financial Times, the European Commission have said “there would be a major review of European value added tax next year”.
MP: Report is not what’s needed
Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, told OnTheWight this morning,
“I did not ‘vote against a motion to scrap the 5% VAT levy on ‘non-essential luxury items’ which includes sanitary products’. The clause (new clause 7) simply called for the Government to produce a report into the issue of VAT on sanitary products. That is not what is needed and I therefore did not support the clause.
“I consider that it is a disgrace that the UK Government does not have the power to change VAT levels on these or any other products. The Government sympathises with this campaign, and the Minister has undertaken to raise this issue with the EU Commission. I support this course of action and look forward to hearing more.”
Source: IB Times
Image: suburbanadventure under CC BY 2.0
