Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government
Today I am publishing a summary of responses to the technical consultation on the draft Non-Domestic Rating (Persons Required to Supply Information and Service of Notices) (Wales) Regulations 2023 (“the Regulations”). I am also confirming that the Regulations, as drafted and consulted on, will be laid before the Senedd and, subject to agreement, will come into force on 1 April 2023.
Non-domestic rates provide a vital revenue stream that contribute towards the costs of local government services, services that we all benefit from. A range of measures to combat non-domestic rates fraud and avoidance were consulted upon in the summer of 2018, following an evidence gathering exercise that took place in 2017. Following the consultation, the Welsh Government announced a range of measures on 16 October 2018.
One of these measures was to introduce a new legal power for local authorities to request information from ratepayers and third parties providing a service in relation to a property, to support their role in the billing and collection of non-domestic rates.
A technical consultation on a draft of the Regulations ran from 24 June to 16 September 2022. It asked for views on the clarity of the Regulations and for any other comments about them. Following the consultation, no changes to the drafting of the Regulations are required.
A summary of responses to the technical consultation is available at:
https://gov.wales/draft-non-domestic-rating-regulations-address-fraud-and-avoidance