PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION'S CAMPAIGN AXE THE READING TAX

That this House praises the fact that printed books, magazines and newspapers have been VAT exempt ever since the UK’s VAT regime was established in the 1970s to protect the accessibility of reading materials and the intrinsic value of reading and knowledge; notes that this principle should also apply to e-publications, which are currently subject to 20 per cent VAT; further notes that the beneficiaries of e-publications include many older and disabled people, military personnel and children that prefer to read on digital devices; and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to abolish the tax on e-publications in order to promote equal access to reading and knowledge for all.