, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
So, again, I’m grateful for the question, and it does in fact echo one of the contributions from the Plaid Cymru benches yesterday, which was talking about the same challenges in terms of people who do have lifelong conditions and yet have to reapply, I…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
I’m really grateful for the question this afternoon, and I’d also like to pay tribute to the work of RCT People First and also Leonard Cheshire, both of which are incredible campaigning organisations, and they are in the business of making change all of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
The 'Manual for Streets' sets out our expectations for inclusive places. At the local level, placemaking plans outline how town centres will be improved for all communities, including disabled residents. With the support of the Design Commission for Wales…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
Well, of course, it's for the investment funds and the boards to undertake their particular personal responsibilities and the Welsh Government doesn’t have a role in undertaking those responsibilities. But we do have a role, I think, in terms of being able to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
I'd absolutely give our commitment to continuing to explore those opportunities, but, before I do that, I really want to put on record my thanks to Jack Sargeant for the amazing work that he’s done in this space in terms of bringing this to the Senedd time…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
Both I and the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning have discussed the continuing decarbonisation of Welsh local government pensions with leaders and others in the partnership council. We will continue to encourage further progress.
, Plenary
Group 9: Review on use of powers (Amendments 21, 24)
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. As this is my final opportunity to speak in this debate, I'd just, once again, like to thank colleagues from all parties for their constructive input and also to thank the Commission staff for their support in getting the Bill this…
, Plenary
Group 8: Council tax increases (Amendments 20, 26)
As we've heard, amendment 20 would place a new duty on Welsh Ministers to make regulations requiring billing authorities in Wales to hold local referenda on council tax increases that exceed 5 per cent. I outlined during Stage 2 scrutiny that I regard this…
, Plenary
Group 7: Council tax reform (Amendment 2)
Amendment 2 would add a requirement for the Welsh Ministers to implement council tax reform by 1 April 2025. However, there’s no definition offered in the amendment of what is meant by council tax reform. Therefore, the drafting of this amendment is too broad…
, Plenary
Group 6: Publication of notices (Amendment 19)
Thank you. So, amendment 19 seeks to remove section 20 of the Bill, which replaces the current outdated requirement for local authorities to publish council tax notices in a local newspaper with a requirement to publish the information electronically. And I…
, Plenary
Group 5: Council tax: single person discount (Amendment 14)
Amendment 14 introduces a requirement that, in any future regulations made relating to the future of the single person discount, the discount must be at least 25 per cent. This is an important area of support for over 0.5 million households right across…
, Plenary
Group 4: Regulation-making powers (Amendments 11, 12, 15, 18, 27)
As we've heard, most of the amendments in this group would subject regulations made under most of the powers in the Bill to a superaffirmative procedure in the form of a minimum laying period of 60 days. A superaffirmative procedure is only used in…
, Plenary
Group 3: Non-domestic rating multipliers (Amendments 9, 1)
Thank you. Turning first to the amendment tabled by Peter Fox, amendment 9 would, in effect, require the powers provided by section 10 to be used to set a small business multiplier, and as I set out during the earlier stages of scrutiny, there's no current…
, Plenary
Group 2: Charitable rate relief (Amendments 6, 7, 22, 23, 25)
Amendments 6 and 7 would require Welsh Ministers to publish guidance for local authorities on the strengthened eligibility criteria for charitable rate relief for unoccupied properties. The focus of that guidance would be on the new tests that require a local…
, Plenary
Group 1: Duty to consult (Amendments 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17)
Whilst I do appreciate the principle underpinning all of these amendments, it's important to be clear about the very real unintended consequences they would risk. Statutory consultation in all circumstances could disadvantage local tax payers in Wales by…
, Plenary
Group 1: Duty to consult (Amendments 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17)
Thank you. Before I speak to the amendments in this group, I’d just like to outline for Members the importance of this legislation and the purpose of the Bill. We’re bringing consistency, flexibility and progress to ensure that local taxes continue to be…
, Plenary
The Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017 (Amendments to Schedule 5) Regulations 2024
Just to say thank you very much to Mike Hedges, particularly for those final comments made in that more personal capacity, but then also to him and his committee for the work that they've done, particularly in identifying that minor drafting error. As I said…
, Plenary
The Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017 (Amendments to Schedule 5) Regulations 2024
Diolch, Llywydd. The regulations before the Senedd are subject to the draft affirmative procedure. If the Senedd approves them today, I expect them to come into force on Friday. I’m grateful to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and the…
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
Great. Diolch yn fawr.
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
Yes. We chose that as a particular one because it's not controversial, it's relatively small, it's geographically defined. It was the ideal tax to 'take the test around the track' I think Mark Drakeford used to say, when he was responsible for this. But…
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
Well, I'm looking forward to a more positive hearing on this. And also we've done so much work over the years. And indeed, actually, it's less about the policy itself at this point, the vacant land tax—
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
Well, it's certainly on my list of things that I think would make a good dispute. I think that it will be important to try and engage a new UK Government on this particular issue. We were making some progress up until around February 2019. I think that's the…
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
I might ask officials to come in on this point as well. Generally speaking, we would get consequentials when reserve funding is provided to UK Government departments in areas that are devolved. I think that's largely because we're facing the same pressures in…
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
And to be fair, I'm grateful to the Welsh Conservatives on this, because I know that you've said in the Senedd that you would support that capital-to-revenue switch as well, just to put that on record.
, Finance Committee
Fiscal Inter-governmental Relations: Evidence session 8
Definitely.
