Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Patient Transport: VAT

Tuesday 13 July 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions on VAT treatment of patient transport services would need to be conducted with HMRC officials.
  • Ben Lake raised concerns about inconsistencies in VAT treatment affecting non-emergency patient transport services.
  • The Minister offered to meet to discuss the issue, recommending affected services also engage with HMRC directly.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ben Lake PC Ceredigion Preseli
NHS Taxation
Context

Discussions on the VAT impact on patient transport service providers.

Question

What recent discussions has he had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect on patients of the VAT treatment of patient transport service providers?

Answer from Nadhim Zahawi

While the Department of Health and Social Care takes a keen interest in any tax situation that may affect patients, any discussions surrounding the VAT treatment of patient transport services would need to be conducted with relevant officials in Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Services for the transportation of the sick and injured are exempt from VAT.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer were not detailed

How: Conducted With Relevant Officials In Hmrc

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Q2 Ben Lake PC Ceredigion Preseli
NHS Taxation
Context

An inconsistency exists where some providers can claim VAT relief while others cannot, despite providing the same services.

Question

Non-emergency patient transport services provide vital support to those who have no other way of reaching hospital and medical appointments. An inconsistency in the VAT treatment of providers currently means that some can claim VAT relief while others cannot, despite providing the same services in the same type of vehicles. Would the Minister consider meeting representatives of the sector to better understand the impact and, hopefully, find a way forward?

Answer from Nadhim Zahawi

I am very happy for myself and the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds (Jo Churchill), to meet with others about that. Of course, I cannot comment on specific cases, and I would recommend that the services in question take up their concerns with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs as well.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitments regarding the VAT issue were not made

How: Cannot Comment On Specific Cases, Take Up Concerns With Hmrc

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