Tom Giffard: According to statistics from the Office for National Statistics thankfully inflation rates for food are actually lower in the UK than in both the euro area and the EU, but that doesn't mean farmers aren't seeing considerable increases in their costs in this country too, and, over the last few months, we've seen increases in prices of fuel, food and fertiliser, resulting in huge additional...
Tom Giffard: 1. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to increase the classification of self-catering accommodation for local tax purposes? TQ630
Tom Giffard: This week is Wales Tourism Week, and Wales Tourism Week 2022 is an opportunity for businesses and communities across Wales to raise awareness of the sector and showcase the quality of Wales's tourism offer to both UK and international tourists. Visitors spend over £6 billion a year, and tourism in Wales is responsible for the employment of nearly 10 per cent of the Welsh workforce. And to...
Tom Giffard: Trefnydd, can I ask for an urgent statement from the Minister for local government after a number of constituents in the county of Bridgend have contacted me about their concerns about the appointments process within Bridgend County Borough Council? This comes after a Labour cabinet member in Bridgend County Borough Council was employed to work in a high-level salaried officer role in the...
Tom Giffard: Thank you, Deputy Minister. I agree that it's really important that these institutions are financially solvent, but it is worrying that that might be the attitude in some of these organisations, and that's probably something that comes from you, as the Deputy Minister, to bring in that change of culture. Finally, turning to another institution for which you're responsible, I wanted to ask...
Tom Giffard: He said: 'you can always expect the Welsh Treasury...to bail you out from time to time'. Is he right?
Tom Giffard: Thank you, Deputy Minister, for that answer. Turning to another topic, since the last time you and I did spokespersons' questions together, we've seen the welcome news of a new appointment of the chief executive of the National Library of Wales, with Ashok Ahir taking up the new role. And as part of that process, he came before the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and...
Tom Giffard: Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon to you, Deputy Minister. I wanted to start by drawing your attention to yesterday's comments by former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, David Moffett, who said in an interview with the BBC that Welsh rugby was a laughing stock. He's also the man responsible for the regionalisation of the rugby structure in Wales and also said that the concept had not worked,...
Tom Giffard: Thank you, First Minister, for the answer, and no questions on the Swans this week from me. But what I will be asking you about is the exciting new plans in Swansea for a new tidal lagoon in my region, and it's an idea reborn by the company DST Innovations, based in Bridgend. As you probably know, Blue Eden would be developed in three phases over 12 years, with plans to start in 2023, with...
Tom Giffard: 7. Will the First Minister provide an update on the future of renewable energy in Wales? OQ58022
Tom Giffard: I certainly welcome this fan-led review, which will hopefully secure the future of football for generations to come. We know that there are a number of issues in the game that the review sought to tackle, and I welcome the fact that the UK Government has endorsed every one of the 10 strategic recommendations contained within the report—most notably, a football regulator. Whilst the review...
Tom Giffard: Will you take an intervention?
Tom Giffard: Thank you for drawing attention to the list of countries that you mentioned that have introduced a tourism tax. I wonder what you make of Venice now, who have introduced a new tourism tax to dissuade people from coming into Venice, because they know it'll be a deterrent to new visitors.
Tom Giffard: Of course.
Tom Giffard: No, you're absolutely right, and I think my colleague Mark Isherwood raised that with the Minister earlier, and it's a really important point and I hope the Welsh Government work on that proposal as well, because a lot will see themselves shut out from that. Well, another operator in Ceredigion said, 'The impact of the 182 rule on my business would mean that I would be unlikely to reach this...
Tom Giffard: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. I formally open this debate today on tourism in Wales, tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. Whether it be Porthcawl, Prestatyn, Barry, Llandudno or Tenby, the Welsh Conservatives are the party that truly represents tourism communities here in Wales. Wales has so much to offer for prospective tourists not only from within the UK, but from...
Tom Giffard: I thank the Minister for the answer. One such poor decision, I'm afraid, that would not have been taken in the public interest would be a recent one by Swansea Council in the area we both represent, Minister. You and I both attended the wonderful opening of the Swansea Arena, which was delivered by the Welsh Government, the UK Government and local council working together. It shows what can...
Tom Giffard: 7. How does the Minister work with council leaders to ensure that decisions they take are in the public interest? OQ57908
Tom Giffard: Will the Minister provide an update on plans for the south Wales metro?
Tom Giffard: The Welsh Government's tourism tax would be simply devastating for the tourism offer in communities like Gower, Mumbles and Porthcawl in my region. After an incredibly difficult few years, instead of encouraging more visitors to come to our coastal communities, the Welsh Government's priority seems to be to tax them instead. After I raised this issue in First Minister's questions yesterday,...
