Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Industrial Strategy

Wednesday 16 July 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Welsh tourism sector is thriving with over 7 million overnight trips by British residents last year.
  • Last year, British residents spent more than 2 billion in Wales during their overnight trips.
  • There is 118 million of additional funding available for securing the safety of coal tips in former mining towns.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Edwards Lab Tamworth
Economy Business & Trade
Context

The question is prompted by the publication of the government's industrial strategy and concerns its impact on areas in Wales with a history of coal mining, where retraining and upskilling are necessary.

Question

Like many Members in this House, I welcome the Government’s industrial strategy and its focus on growth for our local communities. Across Wales, we have a number of former mining towns, which face the challenge of retraining and upskilling their local workforce. My constituency of Tamworth, a former mining town, faces similar challenges. Will the Minister tell me how the industrial strategy will support former mining towns across Wales and in my constituency of Tamworth?

Answer from Nia Griffith

There are many job opportunities coming to Wales through the industrial strategy. We are also ensuring that local communities have the money available to secure the safety of the coal tips, which is the industrial legacy of those communities. That means £118 million of additional funding on top of the £25 million that we have already dedicated to those areas. As my hon. Friend will know, we are also forging ahead with the industrial zones and freeports in Wales and also the supply chains for the various industries that I mentioned in my previous answer, and they will include, I know, industries in Tamworth.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Mims Davies Con East Grinstead and Uckfield
Economy Wales Business & Trade
Context

The question is prompted by the Welsh Government's plan to introduce a tourism tax. The context is high inflation rates across the G7 and concerns about the negative economic impacts of such taxes on the tourism sector in Wales, which employs around 100,000 people.

Question

Today, inflation hit 3.6%, the highest across the G7. This UK Labour Government have a glossy shine on their so-called industrial strategy, but it is simply proving that their actions and ethos deliver only worse outcomes for Wales. Businesses across Wales are now facing a disgraceful double whammy, as just this week Labour in Cardiff passed plans to impose a dire tourism tax. Has the Minister actually carried out any meaningful assessment with the Welsh Government of how many jobs will be lost, as the vital 100,000-strong Welsh tourism sector will be impacted by this tax and by the failing approach to Wales by the two Labour Governments?

Answer from Nia Griffith

The Welsh tourism sector is thriving. Last year, British residents took over 7 million overnight trips to Wales and spent more than £2 billion. As the shadow Secretary of State will know, more than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world, including Greece, Amsterdam, Barcelona and California, have introduced a form of visitor levy, and many of us have paid taxes abroad without even noticing. If a visitor levy were introduced by all Welsh local authorities, it could raise up to £33 million, which would help support the long-term thriving industry in Wales, as well as provide facilities such as toilets that local people can use. I am confident that the Welsh Government will work with businesses and tourists alike to get this right.

Partly answered

Not addressed: impact of tourism tax on job creation

How: Introducing Visitor Levy, Thriving Tourism Sector

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email