Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of an overnight visitor levy on small and independent businesses operating in the hospitality sector.

The government is empowering Mayors to introduce an overnight visitor levy in their region to drive economic growth, including through support for the local visitor economy.

The government is consulting on the design of the new power but the decision of whether or not to introduce the levy will be for mayors who will need to consult when they do so. The precise design and scope of the power is still under development, but the impacts will largely be determined by local decisions.