VAT & Vince Cable

We are pleased to announce an opportunity for MARCHE Members to attend the forthcoming meeting hosted by Business Voice West Midlands with the Secretary for State, Innovation & Skills ~ the Rt Hon Dr Vincent Cable, MP.

The meeting is being held in conjunction with the Parliamentary All Party Group for the West Midlands and other speakers will include : : ~

Ian Austin MP (Labour, Dudley North)

Lorley Burt MP (Solihull - Chair, Liberal Democrat Group of MPs)

Mark Garnier MP (Conservative, Wyre Forest)

The meeting will be held next week and if you would like to attend, please email the MARCHE Office for further details.

This will be an opportunity for a discussion and for you to raise issues of serious business concerns.

MARCHE CEO Hilary Hall will be raising the subject of VAT on behalf of MARCHE Members - VAT on hotel accommodation, restaurant meals and attractions.

• At 20% - UK VAT is the second highest rate in the EU
• All but two other EU countries have now recognised the importance of tourism within their economies and have set a reduced rate of VAT on hotel accommodation and several have also set a reduced rate on restaurant meals
• The BHA is now actively lobbying for a reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality industry within the next 2 - 3 years and for Government to take immediate steps to improve UK competitiveness for hospitality & tourism

Please see your recent ENews for further information on this subject and feel free to make any comments.

Your support and thoughts on this subject would be appreciated - please comment here on the blog or by email to the MARCHE Office.