Brown: 'Haiti single will be VAT-free'

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that Simon Cowell's planned charity single to help the victims of the recent Haitian earthquake will go on sale free of value added tax (VAT).

The X Factor boss yesterday told PA that he had instigated the fundraising attempt at Brown's request.

Brown said: "I have already talked to Simon Cowell and I said there would be an exemption from VAT for a charity single.

"The agony and anguish for the people that we are seeing on our television screens is something that British people want to respond to."

He added: "Simon Cowell can make a huge amount of money to help the people of Haiti."