§ Mr. ArbuthnotTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the new National Health Service voucher values will be to take account of the imposition of value added tax on spectacles.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe Government have introduced an amendment to the Finance Bill which, if approved, would apply VAT to spectacles from 1 September. We have decided that the new voucher values shown in the table would apply from that date if VAT is implemented. The imposition of VAT should not result in prices increasing by 15 per cent. The prices of spectacles already include the VAT which the opticians pay on their purchases of appliances. The only new element of VAT is the tax in the retail margin.
539W
Voucher type Current value New value (£) (£) Single Vision A 15.50 16.25 B 25.50 27.00 C 42.00 44.00 Bifocal D 29.50 31.00 E 50.00 52.50 F 85.00 89.00 Hospital Eye G 85.00 89.00 Service Only H 25.00 26.50
Voucher type Current value New value (£) (£) Supplements Childs small frame 30.00 31.50 Specially made frame (hospital eye service) 30.00 31.50