{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/778629.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":778629,"attributes":{"action":"Launch a public inquiry into the costs of imposing VAT on private school fees","background":"We would like the Government to launch a public inquiry into the costs involved in imposing VAT on private school fees, including the costs of school closures, redundancies, fiscal costs due to the decline in overseas pupils, and the subsequent harm to surrounding areas and local economies. ","additional_details":"We feel the imposition of VAT on private school fees is an attack on perceived privilege, with the main victims being pupils with parents and grandparents who are making sacrifices to send their children to private schools. The imposition of VAT is an extra cost and has made private schooling untenable for many.\r\n \r\nWe feel the rich are not really affected. We believe the other victims of cost-cutting and redundancies are working-class ground staff, cleaners and security. We would like the inquiry to investigate whether the costs outweigh the extra revenue, and the amount of revenue that placing VAT on private schools has actually raised","committee_note":"","state":"open","signature_count":17,"closing_date":"2027-03-14","created_at":"2026-07-31T17:37:20.034Z","updated_at":"2026-09-14T21:10:50.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-09-14T10:08:03.048Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-08-03T10:04:30.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Dan Coleman","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"DfE","name":"Department for Education","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":17}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Bristol Central","ons_code":"E14001131","mp":"Carla Denyer MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Central Suffolk and North Ipswich","ons_code":"E14001156","mp":"Patrick Spencer MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"East Wiltshire","ons_code":"E14001217","mp":"Danny Kruger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Hazel Grove","ons_code":"E14001277","mp":"Lisa Smart MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Leicester West","ons_code":"E14001328","mp":"Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"South Suffolk","ons_code":"E14001494","mp":"James Cartlidge MP","signature_count":7},{"name":"Waveney Valley","ons_code":"E14001569","mp":"Adrian Ramsay MP","signature_count":4}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":1},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":13},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":2}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}