Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the VAT retail export scheme on jobs in the (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) tourism sectors.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor has been clear that being responsible with the public finances is a priority. Government analysis done in 2022, which took increased tourist spending into account, found that introducing worldwide VAT-free shopping would come at a fiscal cost of around £2 billion each year.
The Government engaged with varied stakeholders and produced analysis on the cost of VAT-free shopping before withdrawing the previous scheme, and the OBR’s assessment of the previous VAT Retail Export Scheme showed that its withdrawal would have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the removal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme on tourism destinations across the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor has been clear that being responsible with the public finances is a priority. Government analysis done in 2022, which took increased tourist spending into account, found that introducing worldwide VAT-free shopping would come at a fiscal cost of around £2 billion each year.
The Government engaged with varied stakeholders and produced analysis on the cost of VAT-free shopping before withdrawing the previous scheme, and the OBR’s assessment of the previous VAT Retail Export Scheme showed that its withdrawal would have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the VAT Retail Export Scheme on small businesses.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor has been clear that being responsible with the public finances is a priority. Government analysis done in 2022, which took increased tourist spending into account, found that introducing worldwide VAT-free shopping would come at a fiscal cost of around £2 billion each year.
The Government engaged with varied stakeholders and produced analysis on the cost of VAT-free shopping before withdrawing the previous scheme, and the OBR’s assessment of the previous VAT Retail Export Scheme showed that its withdrawal would have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made in the Growth Plan 2022 of what the total cost would be of restoring both the VAT Retail Export Scheme and airside tax-free shopping to all international visitors in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the total cost of extending both the VAT Retail Export Scheme and airside tax-free shopping to EU visitors in September 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the total cost of retaining airside tax-free shopping and extending it to EU visitors in 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the additional (a) direct and (b) indirect tax revenues that would have been generated by extending airside tax-free shopping to EU visitors in 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Department estimated the annual cost of extending airside tax-free shopping to EU visitors in 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the annual cost of extending airside tax-free shopping to EU visitors in 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the annual cost of retaining the VAT Retail Export Scheme and extending it to EU visitors in September 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor announced on 17 October 2022 that the Government will not be proceeding with plans to introduce a new VAT-free shopping scheme. This decision was included as part of the reversal of almost all of the tax measures set out in the Growth Plan on 23 September which have not been legislated for in Parliament. The Chancellor has taken these decisions to ensure the UK’s economic stability and to provide confidence in the Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline. The Chancellor made clear in his statement that the UK’s public finances must be on a sustainable path into the medium term.
Introducing VAT-free shopping would come at a significant fiscal cost as it would subsidise a large amount of tourist spending which already occurs without a tax relief in place.
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility published their assessment of the withdrawal of the previous VAT-free shopping schemes in November 2020. This showed that the withdrawal of VAT-free shopping would raise a significant amount of revenue and have a limited behavioural effect on decisions to visit, or spend, in the UK.