6. Will the Minister provide an update on plans to introduce a vacant land tax for Wales? OAQ55033

We're making progress with the UK Government to secure powers for a vacant land tax in Wales. The next step is a joint Exchequer committee meeting, and I will update the Assembly with further detail after that meeting has taken place.

Thank you, Minister, and I welcome that update on plans for a measure that I feel could really benefit communities like mine. The Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government provided an oral statement last week on the transforming towns agenda, where she spoke about the Welsh Government's approach to tackling issues related to landbanking. Do you agree with me, Minister, that a vacant land tax is an essential component of this, enabling the regeneration of town centres and unlocking sites for the provision of new housing?

Yes, I do. I think a vacant land tax is potentially a really exciting tool that we can have in our armoury, if you like, when we're looking to improve our high streets and beyond. I'm really pleased, now, that we seem to be making some progress with the UK Government. It's been quite difficult up to this point, but I think that we are starting to turn a corner. Of course, this is the first time that we've tested out the Wales Act 2017 in terms of devolving powers for us to make taxes within certain areas, and so I think it is important that we get the process right.

But, as Vikki says, the policy objective of a vacant land tax would be to bring idle land back into productive use, and I think it is important as well that we just put on record that we're keen not to have any unintended consequences as well. So, we'll be consulting deeply to ensure that we get the policy right.