Book move may net VAT

Joe Sinyor (THES, October 6) is correct to assume that the collapse of the Net Book Agreement will have a marginal impact on the price of core textbooks.

My concern is that in the short to medium term, an opportunity beckons for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to impose VAT on books, possibly to keep us in line with many other European states. Ironically, therefore, students could be paying more for a book in the post-NBA era. Perhaps, in the jargon of Blairism, publishers should consider a NEW Book Agreement?

V. Mistry Student University of Sheffield