Petition launched to refund VAT to Air Ambulance (From York Press)

Petition launched to refund VAT to Air Ambulance

10:33am Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News

ONLY six days after launching an e-petition that calls on the Government to refund to air ambulances all the VAT which they pay on the fuel they use, York resident, Ken Sharpe, collected 3,800 signatures.

He presented York Central MP Hugh Bayley, with a copy of the petition on Monday.

Mr Bayley has promised to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in advance of the Budget speech on March 21 to ask the Government to refund VAT on fuel to air ambulance services. Special provision is already made in the EU VAT directive for the zero-rating of fuel for use by the lifeboat service, but no provision is made for the air ambulance service.

EU legislation does not allow individual countries like the UK to unilaterally extend zero rates of VAT to charities or rescue services. Mr Bayley tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on the Government to return, in the form of grants to air ambulance service providers, all the VAT on fuel which the Treasury collects from them. His motion has attracted strong all party support. He said: “I hope the Chancellor will agree to return the VAT which Yorkshire Air Ambulance pays, so that the service receives the same benefit as the lifeboat service. ”

Anybody wishing to add their signature to Mr Sharpe’s petition should go to epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349 or airambulancepetition.moonfruit.com