Oral Answers to Questions

John Cooper Excerpts

Wednesday 30th April 2025 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

1. Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the economy in Wales.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)]

In 2024, British residents took over 7.5 million overnight trips in Wales, and during these trips they spent a total of £2.24 billion. Wales’s tourism sector is thriving, as was clear to see last month during the visit of the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith), to Elan Valley Lakes, which will benefit from an £11.8 million investment from both the UK and Welsh Governments. According to the Welsh Government, if a visitor levy were to be introduced by all Welsh authorities, that could potentially raise up to £33 million.

[John Cooper]

With the Welsh bottle deposit scheme going down the same disastrous dead end as the Scottish bottle deposit scheme, and now more costs are being added to Welsh tourism, making staycations more expensive, the Government appear to be creating a hostile environment for business. Add in the review of the UK internal market, which is meant to make doing business across this great land of ours easier. Why are the Government loosening the bonds of our great Union?

[Jo Stevens]

Wales is the second-best recycling nation in the whole world.