MP defends voting record in face of 'Tampon Tax' criticism

Selby's Member of Parliament has responded to online criticism over his decision to vote against the scrapping of the so-called 'Tampon Tax'.

Nigel Adams MP (Con, Selby & Ainsty) was amongst 305 members who declined to support proposals to abolish VAT on women's sanitary products, following a debate in Parliament on October 27th.

Products including tampons and sanitary pads are currently defined as 'non-essential' items under HMRC's rules on VAT and therefore subject to a 5% levy, payable to the treasury on every purchase.

Equality campaigners brought the issue to Parliament after amassing more than 120,000 signatures on a petition that decried the levy to be an archaic and overtly sexist tax on women. They claim the products should be 'zero rated' for VAT and brought into line with items including razors, children's nappies and incontinence pads.

The vote to abolish the tax was eventually defeated with 287 MPs voting to scrap the charge versus 305 who were in favour of maintaining the status quo.

Back home in Selby and Mr Adams has faced stinging criticism over local and social media for his failure to support the motion in the commons.

Comments posted to local forums including the 'Save our Selby' page on facebook include one user who says, "Children's nappies are not taxed, nor are men's disposable razors, so why are women penalised because they bleed? Girls as young as 8 or 9 have been known to menstruate. They don't even earn a wage, although knowing this government that may well change. At least the elderly people sleeping in the House of Lords can wear their incontinence pads tax free!"

Another adds, "End of the day it's not something we appreciate going through each month. It can be debilitating for many females and as much as others are lucky to go through it without problems it is still degrading. Why should we have to pay for tampons and towels through the nose?"

The MP has since hit back at his critics claiming he is "100% in favour" of abolishing the tax, but claimed that European Union laws do not currently allow the UK government to do so.

He said, "The online campaign has been launched without acknowledging the full facts around VAT on sanitary products.

"VAT on sanitary products has been in place for over 30 years and the problem is that European Union laws do not allow VAT to be reduced on these products even if Parliament had voted for it. This is due to the EU VAT Directives, something which was strengthened in EU treaties signed by the last Labour government.

"I am pleased that the Government has promised to go to the European Commission to try and get this EU law changed.

"The current 5% VAT on women’s sanitary products is the lowest rate allowed by EU law. As we are currently a member of the EU, if we broke with EU laws it would be ruled unlawful by British Courts. This VAT issue does not only apply to sanitary products, but also energy bills. This is why I strongly support the Conservatives referendum on the EU (which was opposed by every other party including Labour, who proposed this disingenuous amendment on VAT on sanitary products) which will follow a renegotiation to get back our powers on these issues.

"However, the Government has pledged to go to the European Commission and do everything possible to change EU law so that it is possible to apply a 0% rate to women’s sanitary products."

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