Tourist Spending: VAT - Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 3:17 pm on 24 May 2023.

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Photo of Baroness Foster of Oxton Baroness Foster of Oxton Conservative 3:17, 24 May 2023

My Lords, tourism in England generates £106 billion to the Treasury and underpins 2.4 million jobs. I could never understand why we stopped encouraging people and businesses with the VAT situation and when they were in-bound at airports. I ask my noble friend seriously to reconsider this. Why we would wish to encourage tourists to shop and holiday in different countries around Europe and around the world when we have the greatest capital city on the planet is beyond me.