A ‘FORMAL consultation’ on the principles of a tourist tax is to be held by the Scottish Government – after finance secretary Derek Mackay confirmed councils will be given the powers to implement a levy as part of a deal struck with the Greens to pass his Budget.
As reported in SLTN (February 7), the Scottish Government came under fire for agreeing to sanction local authorities to implement a levy, six days after its “national discussion” on a tourist tax closed. The Scottish Government told SLTN it will publish evidence received from the national discussion “in due course”.
“The formal consultation on principles of a locally-determined tourist tax will be taken forward in 2019,” said a spokesman. “Legislation will follow on from the conclusion of the formal consultation, which means no local authority will be able to levy a tourist tax this year.”
[btn link=”https://sltn.tempurl.host/2019/02/21/a-disgraceful-betrayal-of-trust/” size=”size-m” target=””]See comment by UK Hospitality’s Willie Macleod[/btn]
[btn link=”https://sltn.tempurl.host/comment/” size=”size-m” target=””]See comment by SLTN’s Gillian McKenzie[/btn]
