Thank you to all who have written to me to share their views on the addition of VAT to school fees, and for those who were able to attend my drop in in Larkhill earlier this month to give their own perspectives/experiences. It was excellent to have more than 50 people attend, but the overarching message of the day was that many people will have to consider whether to remain in the Armed Forces if their children's school fees are taxed. I'm unable to respond to everyone who has written individually, or who spoke on the day, but all comments have been gratefully received and have informed my campaign.
I have been lobbying the Government to consider an exemption for military families from this tax. These parents use use boarding schools because their jobs mean they move home almost annually, or are posted abroad at short notice, and day schools simply can’t provide the continuity of education they need. I wrote to the Department for Education earlier this month to raise my concerns and to request an exemption for military families. I received a response at the end of last week, which you can read below, although I'm afraid it did not directly address my request.
That said, there were encouraging hints in the Sunday papers that the Government will offer military families a reprieve from the planned taxation on education, as I had suggested. This is good news, if true, but the relief must cover ALL military families with children in independent schools, not just those who currently get support from the government.
This tax is wrong in itself, wrong in principle; but it is particularly bad in its effect on our armed forces personnel, who have to move home frequently and for whom boarding school is the only way to give their children any continuity in their education. I very much hope to receive a positive update on this issue in the Budget this week.
