"We don't want pasty police poking Plymouth pies", says MP
PLYMOUTH doesn’t need an ‘army’ of inspectors ‘poking our pasties’, a Tory MP has warned.
Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall, was speaking out during a parliamentary debate on plans to introduce a highly controversial ‘pasty tax’ - enforced by inspectors who would check if takeaway pasties were hot enough to attract a VAT charge.
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Mrs Murray said pasty prices could rocket by as much as 60p if slapped with a 20 per cent tax hike.
And unlike supermarkets, small bakeries already struggling with increasing overheads would have no choice but to pass it on to the customer, she said.
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Mrs Murray highlighted the threat to traditional family-run businesses in her constituency from the proposed tax as she urged a rethink by the Chancellor George Osborne.
The Government has come under fire from the bakery industry and MPs from across the political divide over Treasury proposals to levy VAT on baked goods.
Ministers were told during the debate that the plans were unenforceable, undeliverable and created fresh anomalies.
Concerns have been raised the move could place 2,000 jobs at risk and put 300 bakeries under the threat of closure.
Campaigners have put forward alternative proposals which supported the principle that baked goods were zero rated except where they were kept hot for consumption.
This would close the loopholes exploited by the supermarkets and so raises the vast bulk of the revenue that the Treasury was seeking from the measure.
Mrs Murray said: “As the grand-daughter of a Cornish baker no one knows more than me what it’s like to make a pasty. Yes I know the ingredients, and yes I can crimp a pasty.”
Her constituents were “exceptionally concerned” about the VAT levy.
“The pasty is a big part of the famed Cornish heritage and history of which we are all so proud,” she said.
“This tax affects a lot of small businesses like the traditional bakeries in my constituency and the knock-on effects that it will no doubt have ion the already struggling town centres.”
Among those to contact her with concerns was the director of Dashers Pasties in Torpoint, a small business with an annual turnover of around £160,000.
While supermarkets could absorb the extra cost, firms like Dashers would have to pass it onto the customer. A “massive increase” of up to 60p a pasty, Mrs Murray told fellow MPs.
“They feel the only winners will be the supermarkets who have the ability to keep their prices low,” she said.
Mrs Murray added: “Surely the last thing we need is to employ an army of thermometer wielding tax inspectors travelling around our bakeries poking our pasties seeing if they had cooled enough.”
Responding to the debate, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said the Government was considering suggestions.
But he added: “The current situation is unfair. This is a measure that ensures businesses of all sizes and in all locations receive the same tax treatment for similar products.
“I accept all taxes have an effect on growth and jobs. But VAT as a whole has a less damaging impact than many other taxes.”
The change was aimed at creating a level playing field.
However, he went on; “I have of course been listening to the contributions to this debate.”
Comments
by Jannercide
Thursday, May 24 2012, 8:43PM
“This whole pasty tax thing will only serve to fuel the sale of illegal, black market warm pasties. The cost to society will be horrendous”
by Nikgee
Thursday, May 24 2012, 6:11PM
“Technically a pasty should be served cold, the fact it has just come out of the oven from being cooked is a coincidence... therefore it should not be subject to VAT.”
by Johnny_Brant
Thursday, May 24 2012, 2:31PM
“Surely there must be loopholes to get round the tax? For example pasty shop owners could legally sell cold ones, but have a microwave standing in the corner for customers to freely heat them up themselves before leaving the shop..”
by olddogbreath
Thursday, May 24 2012, 2:12PM
“Another thing this woman could campaign about would be a buy British attitude for local authorities. Lord Jones was on the radio this morning and stated that if Local authorities, Police etc bought British made vehicles instead of German and the like,it would stimulate the economy and jobs.
These people need to get into the real world.
When the real world came to the South West at the weekend with the torch, the mood changed. Now we are back in the past, with pasty MP's.
Sort the fuel and sort the jobs.”
by ewan55
Thursday, May 24 2012, 12:56PM
“Definitely a case of over-manning (now I am in trouble), to many MP's with little or nothing to do. There are over 650 MP's and 851 in the Lords, time to have a cull of both houses, lets say get rid of 300 MP's and 600 Lords.
Add in Local Government (the numbers will astound). For to long this country has been overgoverned.....”
by Nikgee
Thursday, May 24 2012, 12:48PM
“If the inland revenue sorted itself out and raked all the taxes from the rich, who employ an army of accountants, not only would pasty tax be not needed, nor would all the other tax hikes on anything else.”
by Wreckerbox
Thursday, May 24 2012, 11:07AM
“Sung to the song of Tralawney
A good crust and some tender steak, onions, spuds and swede,
The pasty tells the whole wide world just what the Cornish need.
So shall they set the pasty tax and shall the Duchy bend?
Here's twenty thousand Cornish Folk, who'll fight right to the end.
(Chorus)
And shall the pasty live, or shall the pasty die,
Here's twenty thousand Cornish Folk who'll the reason why!
Out spake young Osborne pale and thin; he hasn't got a clue,
'bout what keeps Cornwall jogging on; a feast for me and you.
We'll cross you every single way; We'll not be beaten down,
With one and all; and medium steak; the Jewel in Cornwall's Crown.
(Chorus)
And when we come to London's wall, a pleasant sight to view,
We'll bring our pasties here with us; it's better for you.
The pasty means the world to us; the pasty'll never die,
And twenty thousand Cornish bold, will know the reason why.
(Chorus)”
by Scoops007
Thursday, May 24 2012, 10:19AM
“Pay for the pasty cold then ask the shop to heat it up for free, simple!”
by thebannedone
Thursday, May 24 2012, 9:14AM
“How about taxing the reheated ones and not taxing the 'fresh out-of-the-oven' say max 1 hour. This would mean the 'frozen mass' ones would be taxed, but the ones made with fresh ingredients would escape VAT if straight out of the oven (and within fresh food anyway) within the current 'fresh' classification.”
by olddogbreath
Thursday, May 24 2012, 9:07AM
“Is this MP serious? Are there no better issues that she should be tackling? Has she just dragged herself out of the massively subsidised House of Commons bar?
In August the Government intends to put about 4p a litre on fuel, there is a debate in Parliament about this soon, raised by an MP. Surely she should be having a go about this issue which will affect her constituents far more. I really could not care less whether she can crimp a pasty.
I can choose not to eat a pasty but I can't go anywhere without fuel.”