Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the report by Oxford Economics entitled Tourism Levy impacts in England, published in March 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development, and the impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will need to consult on specific proposals, including how the revenue should be invested to drive economic growth in their regions. Evidence from international and domestic schemes suggested modest rates have minimal impact on visitor numbers.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of an overnight visitor levy in England on the competitiveness of the UK tourism sector relative to European destinations.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development, and the impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will need to consult on specific proposals, including how the revenue should be invested to drive economic growth in their regions. Evidence from international and domestic schemes suggested modest rates have minimal impact on visitor numbers.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the number of families that may not take domestic holidays as a result of the introduction of an overnight visitor levy in England.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development, and the impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will need to consult on specific proposals, including how the revenue should be invested to drive economic growth in their regions. Evidence from international and domestic schemes suggested modest rates have minimal impact on visitor numbers.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of resourcing levels in local Trading Standards services.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Trading Standards are provided by local authorities who operate independently from central government, so local authorities make decisions according to their individual needs.
The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase on 2025-26. Much of this funding is not ringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.
My officials are undertaking a review of Trading Standards duties, to ensure that consumers remain protected from harm and that local enforcement teams are able to focus on the issues that have the most impact on citizens and communities.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC will provide police forces with access to tobacco track-and-trace data to (i) support enforcement against organised criminal groups and (ii) identify the provenance of stolen tobacco products.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has a robust strategy to tackle the illicit tobacco trade and works closely with both Trading Standards, Border Force and law enforcement partners to enforce this.
The tobacco track and trace system is an important part of the government’s efforts to tackle illicit tobacco. Under the current legislation, direct access to tobacco track and trace data is restricted to HMRC and Trading Standards to ensure lawful control over its use.
While the Police do not have direct access to track and trace data, HMRC is committed to working closely with all enforcement partners, including the police, to explore appropriate opportunities for wider data sharing.
In practice HMRC has already shared specific traceability data with the Police to support investigations into organised crime and stolen products.
HMRC will continue to explore how track and trace data can be shared more effectively to support enforcement partners, including the Police.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with representatives of the hospitality sector on comparative levels of VAT on accommodation and tourism in the UK and European destinations.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government engages with representatives from the hospitality and tourism sectors on a range of issues including taxation.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. The UK’s standard VAT rate of 20 per cent is close to the OECD average of 19.3 per cent.
The Government is aware that some European countries apply reduced VAT rates to hospitality, reflecting different tax systems, policy choices and wider fiscal contexts. Reduced rates of VAT come at a significant cost to the Exchequer, reduce the revenue available for vital public services, and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how (i) consumers and (ii) businesses can report incidents of illicit trade on high streets.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1 billion is being laundered through rogue shops operating on UK high streets. Addressing this threat is a priority for the Government, and on 19 May, the government announced a £30 million crackdown targeting cash intensive business such as barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops operating on our high streets, over three years.
Consumers who have concerns about the conduct or legitimacy of a business can contact the Citizens Advice consumer service. The helpline can refer issues to local trading standards officers for them to act upon. The information shared is also used by enforcement teams and regulators nationwide to identify wider market issues and allow for more serious action to be taken against the most egregious breaches of consumer law.