From April 2018 business rates, Stamp Duty and Landfill Tax will be fully devolved to Wales.
An inquiry by the Assembly’s Finance Committee concluded that it was difficult for the committee to take firm view on which body should be responsible for collecting these devolved taxes, as no detailed costings had been made available. It added that it was disappointing that ongoing reorganisations in councils meant they would not in the position to collect taxes when required in 2018.
Committee chair Jocelyn Davies said: ‘We would like to see these costings made available when the Collection and Management of Taxes Bill is published this summer. We also believe that the collection of taxes in Wales should take a phased approach to ensure consistency for tax payers but which would also allow scope for change in future.’
The committee said a phased in approach for the first few years after the devolution of the new Welsh taxes would allow the opportunity for consistency.
‘[It will also] ensure there is scope for a change in future, either when Welsh local government is in a clearer position post reorganisation or the Welsh Revenue Authority has developed the skills, knowledge and expertise to effectively collect taxes with minimum disruption to the taxpayer,’ the committee’s report, Collection and management of devolved taxes in Wales, stated.
