A CLYDEBANK politician is among those demanding a review of VAT on tourism.

Martin Docherty-Hughes MP signed the letter to Chancellor George Osborne calling new research into reducing the rate.

The Scottish National Party MPs want the Treasury to look at reducing the current rate to act as an incentive to grow tourism in Scotland.

In the letter, they point out in the last five years tourism and hospitality in Scotland accounts for seven per cent of employment in Scotland.

They air concerns that the 20 per cent VAT rate is holding back economic growth in the tourism sector.

Mr Docherty-Hughes told the Post: ''The Treasury must revisit the issue of VAT as it relates to tourism.

"High rates of VAT are a serious challenge to the industry and we know that in countries where it has been reduced, there is clear evidence that tourism and the wider hospitality business thrives.

"Tourism in the UK is consistently held back by our uncompetitive tax environment and that has a direct impact in the local economy of West Dunbartonshire. '

'What the letter and our calls hope to achieve is that the UK Government will work with the tourism industry on how best to address our lack of competitiveness, and look at the evidence about how reducing VAT acts as a spur.''