HC Deb 22 May 1978 vol 950 c416W
Mr. Anthony Grant

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what levels purchase tax would need to be fixed, assuming the basis to be that obtaining immediately prior to its abolition, in order to yield the amount of revenue at present yielded by VAT, if VAT were now abolished.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

This Question could only be answered at the cost of disproportionate time and effort. It is in any case hypothetical since member States of the European Economic Community are required to adopt a system of value added tax in accordance with the first and second Council directives on the harmonisation of the laws relating to turnover taxes, and therefore VAT could not be abolished.