'We have tackled this issue': Jersey's Chief Minister defends 'tampon tax' U-turn

  • Senator Kristina Moore - as she was at the time - explaining the intention behind her 2022 proposition.

Jersey's Chief Minister has defended her government's decision to scrap plans to remove GST on the sale of period products.

Deputy Kristina Moore was the politician who originally called for the move when she was heading up Scrutiny.

Speaking to ITV News in March 2022, she said: "I'm asking them to add sanitary products to medical and paramedical supplies which is in the exemption for the GST law.

"I hadn't realised previously how very simple it was to do this - so in my mind, it's just a no-brainer."

States Members previously voted 26-16 in favour of scrapping the tax on sanitary products, but the change was not implemented.

The Council of Ministers has now proposed reversing that decision so it potentially never will be.

The government says the original "intention and purpose" of Deputy Moore's 2022 proposition has now been served, as making period products available free of charge from public buildings ensures no woman is unable to obtain them.

But that response was slammed by other politicians, who branded the Chief Minister as "disingenuous".

If the Council of Ministers' latest proposition is approved, GST will still be charged on period products sold in shops. Credit: PA

In a statement, the Chief Minister has responded to the criticism.

Deputy Moore said: "As I made clear to the States Assembly during the debate in April last year, it was never my position that it would be necessary to remove GST if period products were available for free.

"At the time of the debate, many of us recognised that making period products free could be a better solution than removing GST.

"But as I told members, the previous government’s assurance that it would look at making them free might never have come to pass, given it had less than two months left to serve until the election.

"As I made clear, that is why I decided to press ahead with my proposition: in order to put on record the will of the Assembly to tackle this important issue."

Deputy Moore continued: "I believe that this Council of Ministers has tackled this issue – not with assurances but with deeds.

"We have made period products free at more than 14 locations across Jersey. We have supplied more than 110,000 to Islanders so far, and we are continuing to increase the supply as we widen the scheme to include public loos from late August. 

"That is a more effective way to address period poverty than removing GST – a saving which experience shows retailers might never pass on to Islanders.

"It was always my ambition to address period poverty and the inequality women faced in paying for period products. That was why I brought my proposition.

"But as Chief Minister, I have been able to go further and do more – and to do it in a way that offers real value for islanders."

Politicians will debate overturning the States Assembly's previous 'tampon tax' decision in September.

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