The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Policy Bi-Monthly Newsletter – September 2016
General Employment News
Legislative priorities announced by Welsh Government 29 July 2016
Six Bills will be introduced over the next year - ranging from the establishment of new Welsh devolved taxes, to repealing sections of the Trade Union Act 2016.
Two Tax Bills will be introduced to establish the two taxes to be devolved to Wales in April 2018; a land transaction tax, which will replace the current stamp duty land tax (SDLT), and a landfill disposals tax for Wales, which will replace the current landfill tax. The Tax Collection and Management Act was passed by the National Assembly in April 2016 which provides the Welsh Government with the powers to collect and manage their own taxes. The Welsh Revenue Authority is being established to do this and will be operational by 2018.
The UK Parliament has also legislated to enable the National Assembly for Wales to introduce Welsh rates of Income Tax. If this was to happen, Income Tax rates could then be different to others parts of the UK.
New legislation will also be introduced to repeal sections of the UK Government’s Trade Union Act 2016in devolved areas.
When the First Minister, Carwyn Jones announced news of the Bills, he said:
“Over the next twelve months, we will introduce legislation that will deliver real improvements for the people of Wales.
Following the summer recess, we will introduce historic legislation to create the first made-in-Wales taxes in more than 800 years – a significant step for us as a government and for Wales as a nation.
We will also act to remove the UK Government’s fundamentally harmful reforms to the rights of workers in the public services this Welsh Government is responsible for, and introduce new laws to protect our social housing stock, improve public health, and reform the system for children and young people with additional learning needs.”
Statutory code of practice on English language requirement 29 July 2016 Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 places a duty on all public authorities in scope to ensure that their customer-facing staff can speak fluent English, or in Wales fluent English or Welsh. A draft statutory code of practice to support employers in complying with this new duty has been published.
The code will be laid before Parliament and issued in October but the early publication of the document is intended to support organisations to be ready to adhere to the statutory duty once it comes into force. It provides principles and examples for public authorities to consider when fulfilling their legal duties and obligations.
The new duty will assure citizens that there is not a language barrier that might prevent them from contacting or using public services or inadvertently put them at risk.
The government has worked with relevant employers throughout the development of the draft Code of Practice and will continue to do so to ensure that the duty is implemented in a way which ensures a positive impact for employees and service users in front line organisations.
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