Written question asked by David Heath (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 12 March 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 March 2001. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Monday, 26 March 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of optometrists and opthalmic dispensers on the implications of changes in HM Customs and Excise regulations; what his assessment is of the implications of changes in Customs and Excise regulations on opthalmic dispensing.

Answer: Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent discussions he has had with representatives of optometrists and ophthalmic dispensers on the implications of changes in HM Customs and Excise regulations; [153805] (2) what his assessment is of the implications of changes in Customs and Excise regulations on ophthalmic dispensing. [153804] Mr. Hutton: On 15 February Her Majesty's Customs and Excise issued a business brief on how they intend to apply a recent judgment in the House of Lords on what, for value added tax purposes, comprises a single supply. At the same time they wrote to opticians' representative bodies explaining that the effect of the judgment would be to make the dispensing and supply of spectacles and contact lenses a single supply. The Department continues its discussion with the optical professions.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 365 c453W;365 c455W; 153805;153804
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Contact lenses Judgements Ophthalmic services Ophthalmology VAT Spectacles
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk