Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:14 pm on 6 July 2021.
Plaid Cymru has played a constructive role in pressing the Welsh Government to take action in order to support communities that are suffering as a result of the impact of second homes. Unfortunately, this announcement today is very disappointing and weak. We don't have a plan here, but three headlines, which are short, vague and lacking detail. Consulting and pilot schemes won't help young people who need a home and who are being priced out of their communities now.
Will you please put aside the idea of a commission to discuss second homes? We don’t need a commission; there are practical issues that can be implemented at once. For example, talking about a registration scheme for holiday lets, making it statutory to register a holiday let is not going to get to the core of the problem, so why don’t you put a licensing scheme in place at once, as exists in other countries, and then it would be possible to cap the number of second homes in pressurised communities? With registration only, won’t you be just creating unnecessary bureaucracy in truth, without having a genuine impact on the situation? And could I ask about the work that will happen over the summer? Will you commit to coming back to the Senedd before the end of September with a clear plan, including specific action and an urgent timetable for action from October onwards?