The Government proves as evasive as ever

I wrote to Chris Grayling, my local MP about the proposal to reduce VAT on condoms. He wrote back to me very soon, but has now written to me again with the evasive response he has received from the Paymaster General, Dawn Primarolo. She acknowledges that whilst current EU provisions mean the tax cannot be abolished completely, there is the option available to reduce the tax as being on "a prescribed list of goods and services, as set out in Annex H of the Sixth VAT Directive." However she offer mere weasel words by stating:

To date, we have been sparing in our use of reduced rates and have only introduced them where we are convinced that they offer the best-targeted and most efficient support for our social objectives compared to other options.

The Government keeps taxes "under constant review" so apparently this may be reconsidered at a later date.

Louder voices are needed on this.