HC Deb 27 January 1993 vol 217 cc744-5W
Dr. Marek

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which countries in the EC impose a standard rate of VAT on books, newspapers and magazines.

Sir John Cope

Denmark is the only EC country to apply a standard rate of VAT to books and magazines. No EC country applies a standard rate of VAT to newspapers.

Mr. Olner

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have been fined for late payment of VAT in each of the last four years; and how much revenue has been raised by the Treasury by these means.

Sir John Cope

[holding answer 26 January 1993]: Information is held about the number of VAT default surcharge assessments issued but not of the number of businesses which have been surcharged which will be smaller, as a business may be surcharged more than once in any year. The available information is as follows:

Number of surcharge assessments issued
Number
April 1988–March 1989 426,000
April 1989–March 1990 415,000
April 1990–March 1991 451,000
April 1991–March 1992 490,000

The amount of default surcharge paid in the period from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1992 was £337 million.