Scotland's tourism sector has seen a strong rebound post-pandemic, with millions of visitors and billions in spending. The SNP supports short-term lets but emphasizes the need for protections to ensure local communities are not priced out. Scotland introduced a licensing scheme that mandates registration of all short-term lets with local authorities from October 2023, aiming to strike a balance between tourism benefits and community needs.

Mr Seely intervened, emphasising the need for local authorities to have exceptional circumstances powers enabling them to design housing policies that protect landscapes and visitor economies while meeting local housing needs. He noted that GDP per head is often lower in such areas due to tourism.

Minister Rowley, could you leave a minute at the end for Steve Double to wind up, please?

Mackrory thanked her hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay for securing the debate, noting that the issue has been growing over 20 years and became acute after covid due to property conversions into Airbnbs. She highlighted that since then, a group of south-west Conservative MPs have been lobbying for changes in this area. Mackrory expressed gratitude towards the Government for closing the business rates loophole and consulting on a register for holiday lets and change of use for planning.

Mr Derek Thomas highlighted the importance of tourism in his constituency, noting that over 80% of it is designated and attracts tourists year-round. He discussed how tourism supports rural businesses and construction but also leads to challenges such as community hollowing out with closed pubs, schools, post offices and shops, especially during winter months. Mr Thomas commended the Government for recognising the need for intervention in these areas.

Jim Shannon highlighted the importance of tourism in his constituency, aiming to create a balance between short-term lettings and ensuring local people have access to affordable housing. He noted an increase in Airbnb-type stays, particularly in Newtownards due to its proximity to Belfast. Shannon also raised concerns about the impact of short lets on local residents' ability to obtain private housing.

Madders commended the hon. Member for St Austell and Newquay on securing the debate, acknowledging the challenges faced by his constituency in terms of housing pressure, recruitment issues, and disparity between house prices and wages. He highlighted how right to buy has shifted into private rented sector lets and then short-term lets as a key issue. Madders also discussed the impact on the wider housing market due to pressures experienced in tourist areas like Chester. The MP emphasised the need for cross-departmental approaches, referencing the £6 billion tax deficit mentioned by his colleague. He pointed out that local people are being squeezed out of their communities due to the influx of second homes and short-term lets while acknowledging tourism's importance to local economies. Raised concerns about the role of Housing Minister being sponsored by a certain company and the impact on local housing markets in tourist destinations.

Asked about the Government's Renters (Reform) Bill's detail and how it will address no-fault evictions in coastal areas. Emphasised the need for measures to prevent landlords from profiting more from holiday rentals than residential letting.

She welcomed the new Housing Minister and highlighted York's thriving tourism industry, which brings in £1.7 billion annually but is causing a housing crisis with high house prices and rents. She mentioned that there are over 2,000 short-term holiday lets in York, increasing by 29% since August 2021. Maskell called for regulation to address the issue and asked when the Government would respond to the consultation on this matter.

Asked the hon. Member for securing this debate, inquired about the status of a consultation on introducing a use class for short-term lets and associated permitted development rights which ended in June, questioning if six months was sufficient time to review results.

Ms Dixon highlighted the severe housing crisis in Chester, noting that only 162,000 social rented homes have been delivered over the last 13 years while 332,000 were sold or demolished. She pointed out how short-term lets are eroding private rental supplies and driving up rent prices. Around a quarter of renters in the UK spend more than 40% of their income on rent compared to just 5% in Germany.

Selaine Saxby highlighted the challenges faced by North Devon due to high demand for housing and tourism, noting that property prices are more than ten times higher than average incomes. She discussed issues such as staff shortages in various sectors, section 21 evictions, and the impact of short-term holiday lets on long-term rental availability. The hospitality sector contributes £229 million annually and employs over 8,000 residents. Saxby called for rebalancing the housing market to accommodate local people by addressing taxation inequalities between long-term rentals and short-term lets. She emphasised the need for an increase in affordable housing supply and quick solutions to address the urgent crisis. Discussed staffing challenges faced by Cornwall and North Devon due to high levels of tourism.

He highlighted the challenges of balancing local housing needs with tourist accommodation in Devon. He noted that second-home ownership and seasonality impact the local housing market, making homes unaffordable for locals. Simon also cited specific ratios comparing house prices to resident salaries in various constituencies compared to the national average. Highlighted the need for balance in addressing tourism impacts, stressing the importance of the broader tourist ecosystem.

Mr Farron highlighted the economic importance of tourism in his constituency, noting that Cumbria attracts 18 million visitors annually, supports 60,000 jobs, and has a £3.5 billion economy. However, he expressed concern about the impact of the lack of housing regulation, with house prices at 12 times average incomes, many homes used as short-term lets, and significant evictions from long-term rentals to create holiday accommodation. He detailed instances where families were displaced due to these practices, impacting education and employment opportunities. Asked the Minister to deliver on a promise made by his predecessor regarding the change in planning use class for short-term lets, which was guaranteed to come into effect in April.