Emily calls for sex tax cut

20th February 2006

Emily Thornberry has called for a cut in the so called ‘sex tax’ on condoms. She signed two Parliamentary motions which call for a reduction in the 17.5% VAT that condoms currently attract to 5%.  

Emily said:

‘We should be encouraging people to have safe sex, not taxing them for being responsible. We know that using condoms can prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexual disease. I hope the Chancellor takes the opportunity of the budget to reduce VAT on condoms.’

EU rules prevent VAT being removed entirely but condoms could be reclassified as an "essential health item", as sanitary towels are, rather than a "luxury item" meaning that VAT would be charged at only 5%.

Editors’ Notes:

BBC Coverage - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4723780.stm

EDM 1155 - SEXUAL HEALTH AND THE SEX, LIVES AND POLITICS CAMPAIGN
That this House welcomes the Sex, Lives and Politics Campaign run by Labour students and the Terrence Higgins Trust; calls on the Government to deliver on its pledge to cut waiting times for an initial genito-urinary medicine appointment to 48 hours; welcomes the £73 million of investment allocated to deal with the rise in sexually-transmitted infections; and calls on the Government to cut VAT on condoms from 17.5 per cent. to five per cent.

EDM 687 - SUPERDRUG SEX TAX CAMPAIGN
That this House supports Superdrug's campaign for the reduction of VAT on condoms; notes that thousands of employees and customers have signed the store's `sex tax' petition supporting the Company's call that condoms should be classed as an essential health item and not a luxury item; commends Superdrug for permanently cutting the VAT from its own brand condoms in May; notes that over £7 million is currently paid in VAT on condoms each year whilst, according to the Independent Advisory Group for Sexual Health and HIV report, the use of condoms saves an estimated £2.5 billion a year through the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies; is concerned that reported cases of HIV are on the increase and that Britain has the highest incidence of teenage pregnancies in Europe; believes that the use of condoms is the best way to cut both these worrying statistics and that a reduction in VAT would help promote their use; recognises that due to its position as an EU member state, the UK cannot entirely remove VAT on condoms but can reduce it to five per cent.; and therefore calls upon the UK Government to make this reduction without delay.