VAT ON BUILDINGS

Early day motion 398, tabled 15 February 2000 by Gordon Marsden (Labour). Signed by 79 members.

That this House, noting the Government's desire to divert housing activity from greenfield to brownfield sites, urges the Chancellor to introduce a harmonised rate of VAT for building at below 10 per cent., thus ending the anomaly whereby new building is zero-rated while conversions and repairs are VAT-rated at 17.5 per cent.; and further urges him to apply this new harmonised rate for all conversions, repairs and refurbishment of historic buildings and churches as well as existing domestic properties, thus helping to conserve the countryside, encourage urban regeneration and benefit hard-pressed heritage sites which benefit the Exchequer through millions of pounds of tourism revenue.

Signatures by party: Labour 55, Liberal Democrat 13, Labour/Co-operative 8, Independent Labour 1, Scottish National Party 1, UUP 1.