On 07/03/16 18:39, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:

No - but apparently we cannot VAT exempt a class of items as we wish (eg
like books, children's clothes other "essential" items used to be zero
VAT rated).

As a matter of interest, why should books be zero rated?

Because it was viewed as an education item and therefore essential (in a
wider sense).

They are hardly
an essential item. And why children's clothes?

Are all parents necessarily
poorer than adults who buy clothes?

If an adult goes without that's up to them, but the idea was that
children should not - or at least not due to taxation pushing the price up.

Remember that it started out as a luxury purchase tax - an ethos I agree
with, although defining "luxury" vs "essential" is hard as you just
pointed out.

Certainly, IMO, things like food, water, electricity, gas and
educational items should be zero rated.

IIRC, the UK government can set the individual VAT rate anyway.