Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards they plan to put in place to ensure that any overnight visitor levy would not detrimentally affect tourists.

The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth, including through support for the local visitor economy.

The precise design and scope of the power is still under development, and the impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear any concerns.  This will inform their decisions and help them to find an appropriate balance between supporting local economic priorities, including tourism, ensuring a levy is affordable for visitors, and providing stability and certainty for businesses.

Following consultation, we expect Mayors to publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment.