Domestic Travel and Holidays: Visitor Levy

Lord Harper Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lemos (Lab)]

I am sorry—I am on spirited form today. [Interruption.] This is a very serious matter.

One of those decisions was to make changes to employer national insurance contributions, and the Government have protected, as the noble Baroness knows, the smallest businesses from these changes by more than doubling the employment allowance, which allows eligible employers to reduce their employer NIC bills by up to £10,500 per year. As the noble Baroness knows, our commitment to supporting greater fiscal devolution to local authorities has been redoubled.

[Lord Harper (Con)]

My Lords, I noticed very carefully the Minister’s well-crafted job application. I hope the Prime Minister notices it as well and that the Minister is successful. He has done it with a smile on his face and with the right attitude, so I wish him good luck. I noticed that, in his Answer, he referred to mayors three times. Can he confirm that the only places in the country that will face this family holiday tax will be those where there is a directly elected mayor—and nowhere else?

[Lord Lemos (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks. I do not normally apply for jobs, but there we are. On the central point about mayors, it is our intention to announce the results of the consultation, and as he knows, there are a lot of details to be worked out, but those plans relate to places where they are.