Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Wednesday 20th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

9. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on the Welsh economy of varying the current level of taxation in Wales.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr David Jones)]

The power to vary tax is an important way of driving economic growth and ensuring that Governments are accountable for the way they spend money. We will devolve certain taxes to the Welsh Assembly and Welsh Government and provide for a referendum, so that people in Wales can decide whether some of their income tax should be devolved, as in Scotland.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Could he explain what role devolving stamp duty land tax will play in stimulating the housing market in Wales, including in rural places such as Llanbedr Pont Steffan? Does he agree that the expansion of the Help to Buy scheme—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Unfortunately the question has got nothing to do with the current level of taxation in Wales. [Interruption.] Come on, finish it off.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Will the scheme help not only aspiring home owners in Wales, but my constituents in Lincoln?

[Mr Jones]

Devolution of stamp duty land tax should be an important tool in the armoury of the Welsh Assembly Government when addressing the issue of borrowing, but one would hope that they would seek to maximise the tax take by being inventive and adopting lower rates.