Britain didn’t need Brexit to end tampon tax - your views

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Britain didn’t need Brexit to end tampon tax

It is striking to note Brexiters and Brexit-supporting sections of the media claim that leaving the EU means that the UK can scrap the so-called "Tampon Tax".

As of the beginning of the year the 5 per cent VAT rate on women's sanitary products has been slashed to zero following the end of the Brexit transition period.

During the Brexit debate arch-Brexiter Sir Bernard Jenkin said: “We will be able to do things like abolish the tampon tax, which so many honourable ladies opposite railed against the government about, only because we’re leaving the EU.” However, as is and will continue to be the case with Brexit, such claims are misleading. The UK did not have to leave the EU to end the tax on tampons.

Back in 2016, the UK government won a pledge from the European Union to be free to abolish the tax – with the government then planning to do so from April 2017. However, following the referendum result, the timetable got left behind and the issue was not a priority in the Brexit talks.

Nevertheless, in 2018, the European Commission published proposals to abolish the tampon tax, with an implementation date set for January 2022 – just one year away.

We didn’t, therefore, need to leave the EU to see the end of the tax – we just had to be patient, or take up the earlier offer from the EU. Or alternatively, the rest of the UK could have followed the lead of Scotland, which in November became the world’s first country to make period products entirely free.

The claim that a big success of Brexit is the freedom for Britain to scrap the tampon tax is therefore utter nonsense. It does however serve to exemplify why such claims of Brexit benefits should be taken with a heavy pinch of salt.

Alex Orr, Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.

Leaving EU means goodbye to au pairs

During the first lockdown when schools were shut, au pairs, who largely came from the EU, provided vital help to many frontline families allowing them to work long hours knowing their children were being well cared for and educated in the home.

Now we have schools shut again, but as of January 1 there is no route for EU au pairs to come to the UK since no visa has been made available.

Who is now going to provide out of hours care for parents with no other option?

The British Au pair Agents Association campaigned for four years to keep the au pair programme running after our exit from the EU but to no avail.

Au pairs are not immigrants – they don’t occupy council houses, take British people’s jobs and rarely use the NHS. Families who are already stretched to the limit will now be denied this vital support at a time when they most need it.

Dr Ruth Campbell, King’s Park, Stirling.

Elderly in danger from icy pavements

I read, with no great surprise, that there is equipment dedicated to clearing cycle lanes. However there are roads and pavements in the higher areas (southern) remain waiting to be gritted.

In particular around Pentland Crescent, Grove, Swanspring streets, Foxspring streets, Comiston View etcThe NHS has warned of the dangers regarding leaving pavements ungritted.Can anyone please advise as to how elderly and infirm are meant to carry out shopping for essentials if they are unable to walk on the pavements for about at least the last week.

Cars are the only option but some local roads are treacherous!

Ian Vandepeear, Pentland Grove, Edinburgh.