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Wednesday, 7 March, 2007

  • Newsnight
  • 7 Mar 07, 06:39 PM

lords203100.jpgMPs have voted on Lords reform; voters have been going to the polls to elect new members to the Northern Ireland Assembly; and we profile Nicholas Sarkozy, the man who wants to be the next French president.

All that plus a shocking lead story which, at the time of writing, we can鈥檛 reveal details of.

Comment on here.

Is it taxing being a woman?

  • Newsnight
  • 7 Mar 07, 02:57 PM

towels_203.jpgGlancing at the overnight feedback on Wednesday morning, Newsnight was interested to see the following suggestion, presumably prompted by Martha Kearney鈥檚 report about Gordon Brown:

"I would like Jeremy Paxman to ask Gordon Brown what his wife thinks of the levy on tampons and panty liners. The 8% VAT is illegal and I wish the 成人论坛 to put this question to Gordon Brown."

It鈥檚 a question that has had women up in arms for many years 鈥 in fact Newsnight鈥檚 editor recalls the issue being on the agenda when he was a young lad at university, (of which the web team has yet to be sent any ).

We鈥檙e very happy to have this discussion on Newsnight鈥檚 forum, but first a little recent history; the applicable rate of VAT is not 8%:

From January 2001, the rate of VAT for eligible sanitary protection products was lowered from the full rate of 17.5% to the 鈥渞educed rate鈥 of 5%, in line with EU restrictions.

This followed many years of campaigning for sanitary products to be eligible for a 鈥渮ero rate鈥 of tax.

In 2006, the reduced rate was also applied to condoms and other contraceptives.

More information can be found at .

So where does this leave the debate? The fact is that VAT is applied to sanitary products, albeit at the reduced rate. Does this still amount to a tax on being a woman?

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