AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES

Early day motion 60, tabled 14 May 2012 by Hugh Bayley (Labour). Signed by 73 members.

That this House notes that, whilst the Lifeboat Service has been exempt from VAT on fuel costs since 1977, a similar privilege has not been afforded to air ambulance services; further notes that air ambulance services are forced to meet rising fuel prices year on year; recognises that voluntary fundraising and charitable donations from the British public to sustain air ambulance services have saved successive governments millions of pounds in expenditure; further notes that more than 100,000 members of the public have signed an e-petition calling on the Government to treat air ambulance services in a similar way to the Lifeboat Service in respect of VAT on fuel costs; calls on the Government to review this matter in recognition of the valuable service the Air Ambulance Service provides; and further calls on the Government to return in the form of grants to Air Ambulance Service providers all the VAT which the Treasury collects from them so that the Air Ambulance Service is in practice exempt from paying VAT in the same way as the Lifeboat Service.

Signatures by party: Labour 40, Liberal Democrat 13, Conservative 11, DUP 5, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.