Part of 10. 9. Stage 3 of the Landfill Disposals Tax (Wales) Bill – in the Senedd at 7:00 pm on 20 June 2017.
Yes, you’re completely right. When the UK tax was brought in, that was the reason. But, of course, this is a devolved tax and we’re losing money through the block grant once it’s devolved. So, over time, as the tax diminishes, then, clearly, that amount would diminish. Now, I’m not saying that that’s not happening at the UK level. Clearly, there is a fall-off in the tax, but we have got—. And the reason for me speaking on this amendment is because I’m not saying we’re opposing this in any way, Steffan Lewis, but we do believe that it does raise a number of interesting issues about the way that a devolved tax operates, and the way a future Government might seek to use it. There is a revenue implication to this, and this is primarily a tax Bill. It is not primarily an environmental Bill. I just think that it would be helpful if, moving forward, when the Welsh Government does bring forward future taxes—because you have the right to develop your own taxes in the Welsh Government, independent of those; we know that that’s part of the current settlement—that these sorts of issues are resolved in the future. But we are happy to support this amendment.