V.A.T, in school fees

A private school is surely part of the service industry and, as such, are liable for VAT. Presumably it is being suggested that the proceeds of that particular source of VAT would be used to provide free meals in state schools. I can't see why that is a problem - any more than ring-fencing monies for the NHS.

If it is OK for charitable status to be removed and taxes increased on high earners, why is it so terrible to charge VAT, when VAT is supposed to be charged for services?

Personally, I agree with all three measures. My understanding is that charitable status was originally given to public schools, which at that time were performing a charitable function, i.e. providing an education for poor children. Now, the vast majority of public/private schools are businesses being run for profit, not for the education of poor students.

For the poster who said such an idea (VAT on school fees) is divisive, doesn't the fact that many thousands of children are malnourished and living in insecure and sub-standard accommodation suggest that this is already a divided society and becoming more so?

My opinion is that it would be nice if, instead of oaring only about our own children and being outraged at the notion of "feeding other people's children", we cared about the welfare of all children, whether they are ours or not.

Yes your right Jalima, I just thought taxing high earners was more fair than taxing all parents with chikdren in private education, I don't like this, it seems yet another wedge to widen class warefare.

I am not sure about raising a specific tax to pay for a specific need. That way lies resentment and arguments.
It would be better to just put up income tax in general.

Remove the charity status and increase tax on high earners but I do not agree that parents who do struggle to pay for school fees should have to pay for dinners for state school children.

I think it's possibly a clever way round from stopping charitable status, which they know will be objected to.

"No child in the UK should go hungry at school. By charging VAT on private schools fees, Labour will make sure all primary school children, no matter what their background, get a healthy meal at school,” Corbyn is expected to say today.

“The next Labour government will provide all primary school children with a free school meal, invest in our schools, and make sure no child is held back because of their background.” "

Was that not May's sentiment on the doorstep of number 10?
Didn't take her long to change her mind.

Yes, illiteracy is an issue but so are drug and alcohol abuse, mental health problems (often go hand in hand with substance misuse). Those children live with violence, chaos and neglect sadly. This government has closed in excess of 1000 sure start centre, it's all so sad.

My granddaughter's school provides fruit at break times for the children. They are expected to pay 50p a week if they can, but it is not obligatory, and all children get the fruit.

If all children are entitled to free school meals, there will be no problem about parents being disorganised and not getting the forms in on time.
Another thing is that being disorganised is often an excuse for not being able to read the form. I speak from experience of teaching adults to read. Sometimes it wasn't owned up to until after all the children had left primary school.

I have mixed feelings about the idea of free school meals for all children. I accept that the evidence is clear, children do better if they have a decent meal mid day. I'm also acutely aware because of the work I did and the fact I have relatives who are primary school teachers, that a number of children in every primary school class will have no breakfast unless they attend the breakfast club, which has to be paid for. The same group of children often have no evening meal, or something like a bag of crisps. I know, this isn't representative of the majority but this group of children are so very disadvantaged.
I know primary school teachers who make sure they have fruit, toast available for these children. On 6 year old weeping on arrival after the 9 o'clock bell, 'Ive
missed breakfast club miss, I'm starving, I've had nowt since dinner yesterday". Luckily, Miss had a banana and a jam sandwich for just this eventuality. I'm not convinced that free school meals for every child is necessary but I do feel the charitable status of independent schools should be removed. It also seems to me that teachers are good judges of where flexibility is needed and food provided where its needed. A proportion of parents are so disorganised, they don't fill in forms on time with the result their child, despite being entitled to free school dinners, doesn't get them.
I don't want to over complicate this issue, just talking from experience.

Aren't you in a position to affect Labour party policy, Annie?

My grandaughter's work will not improve.
It is not an experiment in levelling down, which is what May maintained. It's a way to give all children who want it a decent school dinner.
I don't see how anyone can object to that. There are a lot of families who are having problems buying decent meals but just above the limit for free school meals.
This will not stigmatise anyone.

Same in our schools but this is different because if they eat thei dinners their work will improve .

Will this mean parents who can't pay the vat will want to,open free schools or will these be banned

My granddaughter wasn't forced to eat a school dinner when the school she was at had free school meals for her age group.
She still took a packed lunch.

This was Thersa May's response when asked if it was a good idea.

"Schools would find themselves in a parlous condition if Labour were in government because of the way they would be running the economy.”
What sort of state does she think they are in now under her government?

There will many jobs going if this came into force, all those dinner ladies making sure the children eat up their free dinners so their performance will be enhanced , I assume those who will not eat school dinners will be forced to do so

Jalima, it doesn't say English schools only.

"Corbyn and Rayner, shadow education secretary, will cite research from the National Centre for Social Research and the Institute for Fiscal Studies which, he says, shows that making access to free school meals a universal entitlement improves pupils’ performance and allowing them to advance by “around two months on average”.

I think it sounds like a really good idea. Children's school performance has improved where free meals have been provided. My children has free school meals when I was a student until Mrs Thatcher made free meals only available to children whose parents were on income support. They made a big difference to my finances because I knew that they were getting a cooked meal at lunchtime which meant I didn't always have to provide a big cooked meal at tea time. I have since paid taxes and my children are all now paying taxes. A bit of help from the state early on can reap rewards for the state later on.
It always amazes me when people think scrimping and saving means going without holidays, meals out, new cars etc. That's not what scrimping and saving meant to me.
Children do not suffer if they don't go to private school, but they do suffer if they don't get proper food.
I also don't like this attitude of "don't have children if you can't afford them" Children are a gift to the country, not a burden. Plus,it certainly is not the fault of the children if their parents can't afford them, isn't there a saying about not visiting the sins of the father on the children

So - what about the parents who will have to pay VAT on private school fees in Wales and Scotland and presumably NI to fund free school dinners for English state school pupils?

It doesn't seem to be very well thought out.

If this is private one-to-one tuition, it's unlikely the tutor is VAT registered, unless it's through a big agency.

"Norah, I have struggled to pay fir my three grandchildren to have tuition, vat added would mean I couldn't afford the fees."

For private schools, Annie?

labourlist.org/2017/04/corbyn-launches-tax-raid-on-private-schools-to-fund-free-lunches-for-all-primary-pupils/

Just so you know what was said.

How about putting up v.a.t on take-aways (oops,sorry,been there) to fund these unwanted school dinners,

It all sounds a bit like Nero fiddling as Rome burns.

This is rich-bashing and despicable as it targets the education of children.

Thankfully Jalima I think forcing children to eat things they don't want to (sometimes until they gagged) is a thing of the past. I regard what we had to put up with as child abuse. Jeremy Corbyn's preferred culinary choice, according to an ex wife, is beans eaten straight from the can cold allegedly...mmmmm! Quite irrelevant to the OP but I thought I'd just throw it in to give us all a measure of how highly he rates food

Please bear in mind that the parent who pays school fees has already made a tax contribution to the state section.
A lot of kids do not want school dinner, even if free.
Is this the best Labour can do?
In the very unlikely event of this coming about, some smart accountant could work around paying it,