VAB116 Owner

Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Y Pwyllgor Cyllid | Finance Committee

Bil Llety Ymwelwyr (Cofrestr ac Ardoll) Etc. (Cymru) | Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

Ymateb gan Owner | Evidence from Owner

General principles

1. What are your views on the general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the Welsh Government’s stated policy objective, which is to:

§ ensure a more even share of costs to fund local services and infrastructure that benefit visitors between resident populations and visitors;

§ provide local authorities with the ability to generate additional revenue that can be invested back into local services and infrastructure to support tourism;

§ support the Welsh Government’s ambitions for sustainable tourism?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

I disagree fundamentally with the proposed legislation. It is unnecessary, overly burdensome and detrimental to the tourism economy in Wales. Visitors already make a significant contribution to the local economy, which then should go into the services and infrastructure. I don't believe that local authorities would use additional funds to specifically support tourism, it would be merely a method to increase general funds.

Tourism in Mid Wales needs growth which would only by inhibited by financially restricting measures. It places yet another burden on tourism business to collect taxes for the government, which is not acceptable.

The Bill’s implementation

The Regulatory Impact Assessment is set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf). This includes the Welsh Government’s assessments of the financial and other impacts of the Bill and its implementation.

2. Are there any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions? If so, what are they, and are they adequately taken into account in the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

3. Are any unintended consequences likely to arise from the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Decrease of visitor numbers, which would in turn harm the economy. An increased burden on already hard pressed tourism businesses to collect taxes.  In  particular self-catering businesses which have already been hard hit by the 182 threshold rule, now have yet another government imposed rule to contend with.  In my case, I will consider whether it is worth continuing in the tourism business.  We were encouraged to diversify our farming activities, only now to find ourselves with draconic rules and regulations which were never specified at the time.

4. What are your views on the Welsh Government’s assessment of the financial and other impacts of the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

I don't believe these have been rigorously assessed. This policy is  driven by a zealous doctrine to prevent second home ownership.  To believe that the struggling economy in Wales can adopt a policy that is being used in places such as Venice and Edinburgh is frankly ridiculous.

Subordinate legislation

The powers to make subordinate legislation are set out in Part 1: Chapter 5 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf).

The Welsh Government has also set out its statement of policy intent for subordinate legislation (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155951/Statement%20of%20Policy%20Intent.pdf).

5. What are your views on the balance between the information contained on the face of the Bill and what is left to subordinate legislation? Are the powers for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation appropriate?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Other considerations

6. Do you have any views on matters related to the quality of the legislation?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

It is ill thought out, biased and not enough consideration has been given to the views of the industry.

7. On 26 November, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Finance Committee with some indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155952/Letter%20from%20the%20Cabinet%20Secretary%20for%20Finance%20and%20Welsh%20Language%20Indicative%20Stage%202%20amendments%20that%20.pdf) he intends to bring forward at Stage 2 of the legislative process (https://senedd.wales/NAfW%20Documents/Assembly%20Business%20section%20documents/Guide%20to%20the%20Legislative%20Process/Guide_to_the_Legislative_Process-eng.pdf).

Do you have any views on the indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions the Welsh Government intends to bring forward at Stage 2?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

The enforcement and penalty measures are completely out of order. How much money is  the Welsh government going to spend on enforcing these measures? Yet more bureaucrats employed to create more paperwork and to put more pressure on legitimate businesses.

8. Are there any other issues that you would like to raise about the Bill, the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment, or any related matters?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).