The next item, therefor, is item 5: the Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (Wales) Regulations 2022, and I call on the Minister for finance once again to move the motion. Rebecca Evans.

Motion NDM8163 Lesley Griffiths

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1. Approves that the draft The Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (Wales) Regulations 2022 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 6 December 2022.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion to approve the Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (Wales) Regulations 2022. The regulations provide transitional relief to ratepayers with increased liabilities as a result of the non-domestic rating revaluation taking effect on 1 April 2023. Relief will be provided in a similar way to the scheme we applied following the 2017 revaluation, but with eligibility extended across the whole of the tax base. This universal approach will provide greater clarity to ratepayers in Wales. Alongside our permanent reliefs and the other interventions I've announced as part of the draft budget, the regulations mean that we'll be providing over £550 million of fully funded rate support in 2023-24. I'm grateful to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for its consideration of the regulations. No issues have been raised. I therefore ask Members to approve the regulations today.

Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Huw Irranca-Davies.

Thank you, Llywydd. We considered these regulations yesterday afternoon and our report has also been laid to inform Membesr this afternoon.

These regulations prescribe rules to be used to calculate the chargeable amount for hereditaments with increased non-domestic rates liability of over £300, as a result of the increase in rateable value of their hereditament, following the compilation of the new NDR rating list on 1 April 2023. Following a request from the Minister, we expedited our scrutiny of the regulations so the debate could happen this afternoon and the Senedd could be asked to approve the regulations so that they may be in force prior to 1 January of the year of a revaluation. Our report contains one merits reporting point. We've noted the phased introduction of the increase in NDR liability from 1 April 2023 onwards, and the cost of this to the Welsh Government as set out in the regulatory impact assessment, which totals £112.8 million over a two-year period.

Minister, we've received several requests from Welsh Ministers in the past few weeks to expedite scrutiny of regulations so that debates may happen before the Senedd breaks for its Christmas recess. We understand that, on this occasion, the delay was caused because the Welsh Government needed further information from the UK Government's autumn statement, and that's understandable. We try to respond positively to every request from the Welsh Government to expedite our scrutiny, but, in my remarks today, if I might take the opportunity just to gently remind the Welsh Government that really good scrutiny is really, really important, as this afternoon's discussions on subsequent regulations will illustrate. Llywydd, we'll endeavour to expedite our consideration of regulations whenever we can and wherever it is appropriate to do so, but we're going to have to make these decisions on a case-by-case basis, being mindful of the need to have sufficient time to undertake our scrutiny function and to ensure that the people we serve here are not being placed at a disadvantage. We may not always, therefore, be in a position to assist in the way we've been trying to do so recently. Diolch.

The Minister to respond.

I'd just like to thank the Chair very much for those comments, and also thank the Chair and the committee for looking so quickly at the regulations and dealing with them so speedily. I'm grateful to him for his recognition of the particular context within which these regulations were laid. Thank you.

The proposal, therefore, is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? Any objection? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed under item 5.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.