All Wales Euro-MP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales) has welcomed the European Parliament's rejection of plans for tax hikes on children's clothes and shoes. Ms Evans today voted against European Commission plans to abolish the UK government's right to have a lower or zero rate of VAT on certain goods including children's clothes and shoes.

The Commission had also wanted to ban member states from having lower rates of VAT on things like listed buildings, housing repairs and energy efficient building materials.

Speaking from Brussels, Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader Jill Evans said:

"I am very pleased that we have been able to thwart these plans for unfair tax hikes which would have put an unneeded additional strain on parents' finances. Whilst I understand the arguments for tax harmonisation, there are often very good reasons for having lower rates of VAT or even no VAT at all on certain goods like children's clothes.

"Had these new proposals got through it could have meant a pair of children's shoes that now cost £20 going up in price to £23.50. Annual average household spend in Wales on children's clothes and shoes is estimated at £192.40 - if these proposals had got through this would have shot up to almost £230.

"Putting VAT on goods like children's clothes and shoes would have put the family budget under unnecessary additional pressure and low income families in particular would have been unfairly penalised. I'm delighted that we've voted to reject these plans."