Fears of ‘immense pressure’ on class sizes in Bolton if VAT placed on private school fees
manchestereveningnews.co.uk‘Immense pressure’ could be placed on class sizes at Bolton’s state schools if VAT is imposed on private education fees, councillors have heard.
The Labour Party election manifesto pledges to end private schools’ VAT exemption. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank have said that Labour’s policy would raise about £1.6bn per year, external, generating an extra £1.3-1.5bn to spend after the estimated cost of accommodating children switching from private to state education.
That could allow a two per cent increase in state school spending in England. Bolton School, with more than 2,500 pupils between 11 and 18, is one of the largest independent day schools in the country.
Bolton Council recently debated a motion from veteran Conservative councillor John Walsh on the issue. He urged the council to agree that the imposition of VAT on school fees is not a sustainable policy.
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