YORK MP Hugh Bayley has secured a review into whether air ambulances should be repaid the VAT charged for the fuel they use.

Politicians of all parties backed a motion by Hugh Bayley, who represents York Central, calling for a review into whether the Government should refund the money to 20 services across the UK, including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which is an estimated £75,000 to £150,000 a year.

The motion was passed following a debate in Parliament today, sparked after Ken Sharpe, who lives in the Boroughbridge Road area of York, began an online petition, which now has 150,000 signatures.

Speaking during the debate Mr Bayley said: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance made national news in 2006 when they airlifted Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond from Elvington when he sustained life threatening injuries from a crash in a jet powered car and I know Richard would say he owes his life to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”

He said refunding VAT was "the right thing to do".

Mark Hoban, financial secretary, said the review could be included as part of a wider review of charities providing NHS services but, should that not be possible, he said a separate review would be held.

European Union rules on VAT currently allow a “zero-rating” for fuel used by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, but similar provision is not in place for air ambulances.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance operates two helicopters which attend crashes and other emergencies and also transfer people to hospital when road ambulances would struggle to get there quickly enough.

The charity has to raise £7,200 a day to keep the helicopters maintained and in the air, and last year bought about 170,000 litres of fuel which cost it £5,799 in VAT.

Mr Bayley’s motion was co-sponsored by Hexham’s Conservative MP Guy Opperman.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Sharpe said: “I’m pleased we are going to get the review we wanted . It’s going to be a long drawn out review and I really wanted a quicker end to it.

“I think it’s ridiculous they should have the money taken from them when the general public has given it.”