§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to remove value added tax on telephone bills for elderly and disabled people.
§ Mr. HayhoeNo. It remains Government policy to assist those in financial need through the system of grants and allowances which the recipients can spend in the way best suited to their individual needs rather than by indiscriminate reliefs from value added tax which give equal benefits to those who need financial help and those who do not.