Draft Bill for statutory registration of tourist accommodation in Wales.

The Assembly Government is determined to drive up the overall quality of tourism facilities in Wales.  The quality of tourist accommodation is clearly key to this aim and we remain committed to provide a statutory scheme for all tourist accommodation in Wales designed to boost quality standards, such a scheme would ensure that visitors to Wales enjoy good standards of accommodation and service.  Furthermore, it would greatly assist in marketing Wales as a tourist destination and as such it is widely supported by the Welsh tourism industry.  

Substantial work has been done by the Wales Tourist Board and others in developing a scheme and in preparing for the draft Bill.  This has been done in an inclusive way with representatives of the tourism industry and local government, it is vital that this continues. Further to this, the Assembly Government is committed to ensuring that regulatory approaches conform to the best principles of proportionality. The intended benefits of statutory registration should be achieved whilst minimising and, if possible, reducing the overall regulatory burden and compliance costs.

Although significant progress has been made, further work is needed to take the agenda forward in a collaborative way, which will require further engagement with the industry and others. However this will take time; and, recognising the pressures on the parliamentary timetable it has been decided that the most appropriate approach is to take the proposals forward in the context of the Government of Wales Bill - once it completes its passage through Parliament, as a result, it is no longer appropriate to publish a draft Bill this Spring.  

I have written to the Secretary of State for Wales explaining this development and he in turn has informed the Leader of the House to withdraw the draft Bill.