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However, one difficulty that the minister might address in his summing-up is the VAT levy on new build for hospices. Last year, I wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer about VAT relief on hospices.
In the Lothians, a number of job losses have been announced, but so have new jobs. However, the women at Levi Strauss, for example, will have a problem with transport.
I hear what it says, but that is not justification for levying a charge. The amount is nominal—registering costs £58, so it will break no one's back—but what is the principle behind charging if we are trying to encourage people to recycle such material?
Also, convenience stores are predominantly low-margin, high-turnover stores, and companies often levy high charges on card transactions, which makes it difficult for retailers to move away from cash to non-cash transactions.
After all, the high price tag contributes to some of the high fees that will be levied. I would be grateful if, in summing up, the minister could make clear the level of subsidy that is planned for child care.
We could use the example—and I hope that I am allowed to do this—of the Ryanair case where there might have been a victory, but we are not too sure who won, because Ryanair still charges a wheelchair levy on every single ticket that it sells.
Taxes on consumption of fuel and other resources—or eco-taxes—have a role to play because they can be levied in a socially just manner, with those who consume more than their share of resources paying disproportionately so that basic needs such as home heating remain affordable for all.
We take issue with the fact that there is no transparency or openness at present on that issue. Charges are being levied at more than the cost of recovery.