Proposed Visitor Levy

Julian Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 25th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Damian Hinds]

Mr Efford, that really was my next sentence, because there are questions about short-term lets, and about second homes in Cornwall and so on. On the short lets issue—whether rents are being pushed up is sometimes another concern with short lets—this levy is not going to solve that problem. The Government will need to do something structurally different if they want to address those short lets questions.

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

UKHospitality talks about this tax being

“the wrong policy at the worst time”.

One of my worries is that entrepreneurs in the tourist industry in North Yorkshire and elsewhere are on their knees due to post-covid issues, national insurance, rates and a whole range of factors. Would my right hon. Friend agree that, whatever the merits of this policy, the levy must be paused until those businesses are back on their feet and start investing again?

[Damian Hinds]

I do agree. My right hon. Friend and I have been in multiple debates in the main Chamber talking about exactly those issues, both for tourism and for the wider hospitality sector.

There are some arguments in favour of an overnight visitor levy, some of which have come up already. The main one is summed up in the sentence,

“Visitor levies provide local government with a financial incentive to grow the visitor economy.”

That has truth to it, and there is definitely an argument for making hospitality more hospitable through more investment in the visitor economy—in facilities, events, policing and so on. The sector needs more money going into sales and marketing if we are to realise our potential, so there might be an argument for this measure if the money were truly ringfenced—if it were only being spent on truly incremental items. Even then, we would still get the problem where hotels over quite a wide area pay it but the events, attractions, extra policing and so on all take place somewhere else. That might apply in Hartlepool, for example, as has been mentioned. It will certainly be the case in London—a hotel in Brent Cross is not going to feel the benefit of some extra things being put on in theatreland in the west end.

Of course, though, the money will not be ringfenced. Even if it is nominally ringfenced in year one, do we honestly believe that in year five it will still be ringfenced? Of course it will not.

--- Later in debate ---

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Efford. I thank the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) for bringing forward this debate.

I have long campaigned for a visitor levy. York itself sees 1.7 million overnight stays—6.2 million visitors to our city—and as a result we recognise the cost of tourism to our local authority. Whether it is about tidying our streets, putting infrastructure in place, cleaning our city or making additional provisions, the pressure of tourism on our public services is being paid for by local residents. There is an equation where local residents feel that they pay into the system and tourism gains, but that tourists are not making their contribution. I listened carefully to the right hon. Member; he talked about the money, the taxation and the benefit that goes into the national funding pot from the taxation system but is not being invested in local communities.

[Sir Julian Smith]

I am a big supporter of the hon. Lady, and I do not want to attack her personally, but we have a big issue in York and North Yorkshire. The Mayor is proposing this tax, which will clobber my constituents’ businesses in North Yorkshire. It may be a benefit for York, but it will cause a massive problem for rural North Yorkshire.

[Clive Efford (in the Chair)]

Order. Before you respond to that intervention, there are 10 Members on their feet and we have only just over half an hour for Back-Bench speeches, so that is roughly three and a half minutes each. Please bear in mind when you are speaking that the people behind you will have a three and a half minute limit—or less, if you speak for too long.

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Smith Excerpts

Monday 23rd February 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern)]

I thought I was going to get away without answering any questions, Mr Speaker. My hon. Friend raises an important issue. On 11 November last year, we published a Government response to a consultation and I am anxious to get on with taking more steps to address the kind of thing that he raises as quickly as we can.

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

T7. Small businesses across North Yorkshire are under massive pressure from national insurance, the workers’ rights Bill, rates, energy costs—the list goes on. Now that the consultation on the tourist tax has closed, will the Minister put that tax on pause in the interests of job creation for young people? The stats today are truly appalling.

Chinese Embassy

Julian Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 13th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

I am not going to comment on behalf of the security services—[Interruption.] Opposition Members are chuntering from a sedentary position, but I am not going to do that. It is not appropriate for me to comment on behalf of the security services, but as I continue to say, all material considerations will be taken into account. I am here answering the urgent question on the Chinese embassy, which is a decision for my Department and Planning Ministers within it.

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

The Minister talks about this being a planning decision, but essentially it is a political judgment. Many right hon. and hon. Members want to make strong representations to the Government and the National Security Adviser about the judgment call on getting a closer relationship with China and this embassy. The site of the proposed embassy is massive—I went around it over the past couple of days—and Mansell Street is really restricted, meaning it will be completely impossible to monitor what is going on there, so that judgment is wrong.

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Smith Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is completely right to highlight that. There is a huge opportunity for strategic authorities to support community businesses, co-operatives and social enterprises to help regenerate and revitalise our town centres and build community wealth. We are already seeing that across the country: we see it in Liverpool city region, where significant investment is going into community businesses. We are keen to build on this opportunity and to unlock it across the country.

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

Devolution is starting off well in North Yorkshire, but North Yorkshire council is really concerned about the upcoming local government settlement, which will obviously be challenging for all councils. May I urge the Secretary of State in his new role to look carefully at the most rural county in England and the particular challenges that it has in delivering services?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

We are looking closely at every area. We know that local government is going through the process of reorganisation at the same time as we are doing devolution. We are doing that at pace, but we are doing it in strong collaboration, working closely with individual areas.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report

Julian Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

I refer the House to my declaration of voluntary interests. I commend the Deputy Prime Minister for the sensitivity with which she is approaching the issue, both with families and in the House today. As she knows, mediation efforts with residents of Grenfell are being led by Lord Neuberger and others. I genuinely believe that mediation is of massive value in this situation. I realise that much of this is in the legal sphere, but can she and the Government commit in any way to supporting those mediation efforts?

[Angela Rayner]

It is absolutely right that we look at all options, and I am happy for the right hon. Gentleman to take that matter up with the safety Minister as well. We want to continue to support the community, who have been through so much. I visited the site and met the headteacher of the school; children who were not even born when the tragedy happened are still suffering the effects of the trauma today. We are committed to supporting the community, the bereaved and the survivors for as long as it takes.