The debate surrounding VAT on sanitary products has rightly attracted a lot of attention however, it has also unfortunately attracted many mistruths. I would like to make it absolutely clear that I want to see VAT removed from sanitary products altogether. Parliament doesn’t however have the power to do make these changes as VAT rates are set by the European Union.
On Monday there was agreement from all MPs that VAT on sanitary products should be reduced from 5% to 0%, yet opinion was divided about how the process of negotiating this reduction with Europe could actually happen. One side voted for a 3 month time frame for the negotiation of a change in rates, something we simply do not have the right to demand. The other side, which included myself, voted for the inclusion of the removal of VAT on sanitary products into the current ongoing EU renegotiations.
It makes complete sense to incorporate this demand into the ongoing renegotiations, ensuring the EU will take this on board with our other demands. As I said previously, both sides want to see 0% VAT on sanitary products but differed in how they thought this would best be achieved.
I absolutely want to see this VAT removed from sanitary products, so I decided to take a pragmatic approach to doing so. My vote of support was for the realistic, achievable approach, and I have faith that our renegotiation team will be successful in gaining this and other concessions for the UK.
Following the assurances the Minister personally gave me that the Government will be insisting on a 0% tax rate on sanitary products during the renegotiations, I will be writing to the Prime Minister to ensure that this is a key part of his renegotiation strategy.
I am gravely concerned that this crucial debate is being taken over by those in politics who want to leave the European Union and are looking for any opportunity to demonstrate its flaws. Europe is not perfect and the renegotiation is attempting to prove this. It is therefore disappointing that when reading the report from the debate, many of those speaking focused on arguing to leave the European Union rather than speaking about how wrong the tax on sanitary products is. I hope that as this debate continues we can focus on how we can remove the tax rather than any political point scoring over the European Union.
Below is a response to a letter that I wrote to the Minister regarding this issue.