, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Thank you. You've been very clear.
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Yes, thank you. Obviously, we've been listening very intently to your comments to us as a committee today in regard to our scrutiny of the Bill. I just wanted to state that, quite clearly, it's not the case that this doesn't happen elsewhere in the United…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Yes, thank you, and I'll be picking up a bit on that line of questioning in terms of cross-border concerns within my questions later. I just think picking up on—. We need to be very careful that we're not speaking in generalisms and that we're speaking led by…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Thank you very much for that. Finally from me, we've had a number of comments from witnesses today on the record that suggest that children and young people, particularly under-18s, should be exempt from being charged the levy, obviously if the area decides…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Is there any other comment around registration requirement?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Thank you for that. I'm going to move on. Perhaps others want to comment around this in terms of the registration element here, in terms of accommodation providers within the Bill. What information should be included within that? Who would like to take that…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
I'm very tempted to get into the wider debate here, but I'm not going to. I would just add to Mike Hedges's point that this isn't a novel system to introduce, if we look at the rest of a world, and it's also not a no-win situation, because, obviously, the…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Yes. Makes sense. And anybody else?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay.
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
But, in terms of simplicity, I think there's unanimity across your witness session in terms of under-18s; I think you've been very clear on that. The final question that I have, then: the Bill places a duty on visitor accommodation providers to file a return…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Thank you. And Airbnb, have you an opinion on this?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Yes, okay, great. Anything different from our witnesses?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Are you talking under 18, or—
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay, thank you very much. I'm just going to move on then to the areas within the Bill around exemptions, whether children would be exempt, as has been touched upon previously, the role of third parties and the 30-day filing period. It was highlighted that…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay, thank you, and is there anything from Airbnb?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Is there any other view on the table?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Thank you, Chair. What are the views then on the proposals in the Bill that would allow local authorities who decide to go down this route to introduce a premium on the levy in their particular area? Who would like to go first?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Thank you, Chair. It's just a simple clarification: I think there's no disagreement that there should be an absolute requirement to follow those basic requirements in a simplistic manner. I don't see how this system does anything other than create that level…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
That's fundamental, isn't it? If you choose with your local authorities to go down this route and if you decide to introduce a visitor levy locally, autonomously, then that principle of additionality is absolutely key. And on that point, if it was decided to…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Thank you, Chair. I’m just probing that comment, because the whole raison d’être behind this is that it is locally accountable, democratically. And if your coastal property is in a rural community of Wales, your local authority would absolutely understand if…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Thank you, Chair. Both unmuting at the same time. Obviously, we’re here today to listen to your evidence as witnesses that we will, obviously, understand and comprehend. Just in terms of our purpose here today around a visitor levy—and you were talking to the…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 5
Okay. Thank you. So, in terms of the need for a no-delay approach, I think there is a consensus there. My final question, then. You've also mentioned that the anticipated costs for WRA over a 10-year period could be as much as £40 million, which could…
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 5
Does anybody disagree with the small-scale pilot?
, Finance Committee
Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 5
In terms of the register establishment prior to the levy implementation, who wants to pick that up?
