HL Deb 20 October 1998 vol 593 cc143-4WA
Lord Walton of Detchant

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why it is that, while printed published books and journals are zero-rated for VAT, electronically published material is subject to VAT at the standard rate; and whether they have any intention of correcting this situation by zero-rating electronically published material. [HL3453]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Under EU agreements, while the UK may retain those zero rates it already has, it is not possible to extend their scope nor to create new ones.