Finance (No. 4) Bill

Debate between Stephen Gilbert and Karl Turner

Wednesday 18th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Karl Turner]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point.

The Government’s impact assessment suggests that sales will drop by 30% as a result of VAT on static caravans. That would be disastrous for the static caravan manufacturing industry in Hull. I appeal to the Government to listen to the representations that have been made from both Members Opposition and Government and to think again. The measure will be disastrous for that industry.

[Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay) (LD)]

I shall speak to new clause 5, in my name and the names of all Cornish MPs. We have a Cornish coalition moving forward to try to protect the Cornish pasty. The proposals from the Government are, I fear, unfair and unworkable and will be bad for the economy of Cornwall.

Let us consider the economic impact first. Cornwall is already an extremely disadvantaged part of the United Kingdom, being the only part that qualifies for convergence funding, yet the 86 million pasties that are produced contribute £37 million directly to the Cornish economy, and the 40 Cornish Pasty Association members turn over £150 million a year.