HL Deb 24 October 2002 vol 639 c112WA
Baroness Howe of Idlicote

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What forms of general taxation, local or national, are levied on the newspaper industry; and how much revenue results. [HL5886]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The newspaper industry as a whole pays a wide range of taxes; in particular corporation tax, local business rates, stamp duty, employer national insurance and capital gains tax. The sale of newspapers is zero rated for VAT purposes. Figures published on the Inland Revenue website show receipts of corporation tax for 1999–2000 in the transport and communications sector at £1,285 million; figures for other industries are also given.

A breakdown of revenue from the newspaper industry could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; there is also the issue of how to classify a company with more than one principal activity, with many large media groups encompassing a wide range of activities.