Written question WQ97325
- Asked by
- Siân GwenllianPlaid
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 11 days
Question
What is the Cabinet Secretary's assessment of the reasons why it has taken so many years to progress to devolving the ability for Wales to introduce a vacant land tax?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language
At the outset of the process seeking competence for a vacant land tax, or tax on land suitable for development, there was good progress, however, this progress stalled under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration. I am grateful for the fresh engagement with the UK Government and the progress made since its election. I hope to meet with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Welsh Government’s proposals for Senedd competence for this tax on land suitable for development in the near future.
No assessment has been undertaken to date on what revenues a tax on land suitable for development would generate in Wales. The primary purpose of such a tax would be to change behaviours rather than generate substantial revenues, though as with all behavioural taxes there would be some revenue generated.
The publication 'Research into stalled sites in Wales – Final report – March 2020' is the latest published evidence by the Welsh Government, which investigated stalled sites across Wales to support the development of a tax on land suitable for development.