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Lower the VAT rate on all sanitary products to the zero rate (0%)
From January 2001, the rate of VAT for eligible sanitary protection products was lowered from the full rate of 17.5% to the “reduced rate” of 5%. Now we must pick up the campaign to see all sanitary products (including sanitary towels; sanitary pads; panty liners; tampons; keepers and maternity pads) be reduced to the zero rate (0%) alongside most food items, books, newspapers, magazines and children’s clothes.
They are very necessary items and rates on them disproportionately hit women the most. Some common sense on behalf of the government is needed.
Categories: Gender Politics, General Politics
Pity that at no time between 1997 and 2010 that this necessary reform was deemed important enough to attract the attention of the Labour Government. You wouldn’t have needed a campaign then.
True
Actually that’s not true. My friend Chris McCafferty, then MP for Calder Vally, was the member who raised and campaigned on this issue, and ultimately persuaded Gordon Brown of the need to reduce the rate to 5%. This figure was chosen not at random but because, under Eu law, once an item has been VAT-rated, this is the furthest it is possible to go. VAT on domestic fuel is rated at five percent for the same reason. So actually this is an issue where Labour did Every thing possible – as a result of a strong campaign from one backbench MP. The petition you refer to above is understandable, but regrettably impossible to achieve
Thanks for clearing that up. While my antipathy towards your party is unchanged, I can applaud the achievement of the individual.
So fight to change the EU law!!!!! That is allowed under the EU isn’t it?