§ 42. Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the value added tax threshold for small business.
§ Mr. RyderThe level of the VAT registration threshold is subject to regular review and has been increased in line with inflation since 1979. The increase to £25,400 announced by my right hon. Friend in his Budget statement represents the maximum possible within our obligations under the EC sixth VAT directive, which restricts increases in the threshold to those which maintain its value in real terms.