UK will not impose a sales tax on private healthcare, health secretary Wes Streeting said on Tuesday, following reports that the government was considering the option ahead of the November 26 budget.
"It's not happening," Streeting told the BBC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to raise taxes in the November budget to address a fiscal gap that economists estimate at tens of billions of pounds.
This has led to speculation about where cuts or increases might be made.
Reeves said on Monday that she would honour Labour’s manifesto pledge not to increase sales tax, known as value added tax (VAT), national insurance contributions or income tax rates.
She added that there would still be hard choices to make in November.
Seven men jailed for more than 170 years for Rochdale child sexual exploitation 
