Clause 18
Finance (No. 2) Bill
10:15 am
Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West, Labour)
I congratulate the hon. Member for Rayleigh on speaking well and cogently. I like it when, while discussing the Finance Bill, we get occasional flashes of politics. Earlier this morning, we debated Government amendment No. 1 on VAT and now we are debating amendment No. 2. I may stand to be corrected, but it strikes me from the numbering that the most important thing that the Conservative party have locked on to is the date of implementation of those VAT changes on imported works of art. I recognise that the London art market is important, but it does not play huge around the country. It is not a huge issue in Wolverhampton, South-West, yet it appears to be their No. 1 priority.