A zero rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) has applied to supplies of books, newspapers and magazines in the UK since the adoption of VAT in 1973.<\/p>
<\/p>
This served as a continuation of the exemption of those supplies from purchase tax, applied from its inception in 1940.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3991", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jesse Norman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hereford and South Herefordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jesse Norman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T13:01:23.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Press and Publications: VAT Zero Rating"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons VAT on (a) books, (b) newspapers and (c) magazines is zero-rated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "255251"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127098", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127098/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bNo decision has been taken to close the youth department of the Council of Europe. The suggestion to decouple the youth budget from the main budget is just one option proposed to manage the budget deficit in the organisation flowing from Russian non-payment and also as part of a wider drive for reforms and efficiency savings. It has yet to be discussed. The UK's priority is to protect the core functions of the organisation, including the court and the convention system.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T13:28:54.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council of Europe"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason the Government supported proposals to close the youth department of the Council of Europe.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "255253"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127099", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127099/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As a \u2018major contributor\u2019 to the Council of Europe, the UK pays over \u20ac32 million annually, which includes a contribution to the European Youth Foundation.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Eastleigh"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mims Davies"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T15:04:10.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council of Europe"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funding the Government provides to representatives from the British Youth Council who sit on the Youth Department of the Council of Europe.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "255254"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127101", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127101/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The vast majority of Universal Credit (UC) claimants\u2019 claims are administered in real time and accurately. Every UC award is calculated based on the circumstances of individuals during each assessment period, taking into account savings, assets and income.<\/p>
<\/p>
All claimants have a responsibility to notify the Department about changes in their circumstances, as this could alter the monthly award and/or the responsibilities associated with receiving UC.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T12:47:03.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Tower Hamlets"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets' Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee, published 26 February 2019, which found that in 2018-19 the local authority had referred 539 universal credit cases back to her Department due to accuracy queries, of which 197 were still outstanding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"} ], "uin" : "255255"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127104", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127104/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to developing a future borders and immigration system that will cater for all sectors of the UK, including for those who employ seasonal workers.Our proposals in the immigration White Paper, the UK\u2019s Future Skills-Based Immigration System, include a temporary short-term workers route which will be open to people at any level, including seasonal workers.<\/p>
As the Government has been clear, we are launching a twelve month engagement process in order to listen to businesses and organisations. As part of this, there has already been engagement with employers a broad range of sectors. We will consider the feedback from this process before making final decisions.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T12:43:52.647Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Seasonal Workers: EEA Nationals"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that EEA nationals are able to carry out seasonal work in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"} ], "uin" : "255331"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127113", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127113/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We keep the issues raised by the Salisbury nerve agent attack under consideration but currently have no plans to publish any reviews relating to them.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1539", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wyre and Preston North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Ben Wallace"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T11:33:41.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Chemical Weapons: Salisbury"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reviews his Department has commissioned into the 2018 Salisbury Novichok nerve agent incident; and what the timeframe is for those reviews to be (a) completed and (b) published.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/242", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Christchurch"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Christopher Chope"} ], "uin" : "255261"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127118", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127118/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. The Foreign Secretary and I have made that position clear through public and parliamentary statements and in conversations with the Government of Brunei.<\/p>
We welcomed assurances provided by The Sultan of Brunei on 5 May regarding the implementation of phase 3 of the Sharia Penal Code. His Majesty confirmed that the de facto moratorium on the death penalty will apply to punishments under the Sharia Penal Code and has committed to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture. The assurances provided by the Sultan go some way to addressing our anxieties about the human rights situation in Brunei. We have urged Brunei to build on these assurances and formalise its commitment to respect individual freedoms and minorities. We echoed this message in the UK's statement at Brunei's Universal Periodic Review on 10 May.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-24T13:31:37.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Brunei: LGBT+ People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2019 to Question 250501 on Brunei: LGBT People, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Brunei on revoking in their entirety the anti-LGBT laws in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4573", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rosena Allin-Khan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tooting"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rosena Allin-Khan"} ], "uin" : "255359"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127121", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127121/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The assessment referred to in answer of Question 250740 was carried out before the Boiler plus standard came into force. There is no evidence that boilers with an efficiency below 92% continued to be sold beyond the coming into force date of the current standards.<\/p>
Efficiency standards for products are always carried out under standard test conditions. This ensures a reliable value for the product itself, irrespective of the capability of the installer, the diverse range of buildings into which they are installed, or how optimally the product is used by the consumer. This provides the ability to compare products fairly.<\/p>
<\/p>
The research carried out on real-world boiler performance is available from the SAP website:<\/p>