Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for the UK's literacy rates of removing VAT from digital products.
The Government keeps all taxes under review, including VAT.
Any amendments to the VAT regime as it applies to physical publications and e-publications must be carefully assessed against policy, economic and fiscal considerations. Any representations on this issue will be considered as part of the fiscal events process.
The impact on literacy of any reduction of VAT on e-publications is likely to depend on commercial decisions about the extent to which any tax saving would lead to price reductions for consumers, and any associated behavioural changes.