Changes to the Budget Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury

Changes to the Budget

Tom Blenkinsop Excerpts
Monday 11th June 2012

(12 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts

Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am not sure that that particular policy announcement will necessarily do my hon. Friend any good, but he is absolutely right to ask the Government to continue to focus on the big issues that the country faces, and we will do so.

Tom Blenkinsop Portrait Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

Given that other applications of VAT are being U-turned, why is its application to sports nutrition products not being U-turned as well?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

We think it right for sports nutrition products to be subject to the standard rate of VAT. VAT should be a broadly based tax, and we believe that our policy addresses an anomaly in the system that needed to be dealt with.