English: It is not Plaid Cymru policy to introduce a tourism tax. We welcome the exploration of four taxes, as has been outlined by the Welsh Government, to gather evidence because we are an open-minded party, willing to look at new ideas, new innovations, because let's face it, Dirprwy Lywydd, whenever there is a new idea in the course of politics in these islands, the Conservative Party are always on the wrong side. We wouldn't be sat in this Chamber today had they had their way because they are always on the wrong side of history, and that is true for their policy on taxation. As Wales's second largest employer, tourism is the backbone of the economy in many parts of our country; it supports, as the Member for Monmouth has said, 120,000 jobs and it's of vital importance to all regions of our country. Currently, the tourist industry in the United Kingdom faces a disproportionately high tax burden compared to our other key industries and to other countries in Europe. Only Switzerland places a larger tax burden than the United Kingdom - [Interruption.] - on its tourism industry. I'm sorry, I think I've been pretty generous; I'd like to make progress. Sixteen out of 19 countries in the eurozone have a VAT rate for tourist services that is lower than 10 per cent. Our closest neighbour, and, in many ways, our direct competitor, Ireland, reduced the rate of VAT to 9 per cent in 2011: 57,000 extra jobs were created as a result. In a globalised and increasingly competitive market, Wales needs every advantage possible to sell ourselves as a tourist destination. Our tax system, overseen by the United Kingdom Government, currently puts Wales and the many small businesses that are the foundation of our tourist industry at a disadvantage. Plaid Cymru has repeatedly called for a VAT cut on tourist services from 20 per cent to 5 per cent. It is estimated - . Evidence suggests that the reduction would create over 5,500 thousand jobs in Wales, whilst injecting £166 million into the Welsh economy. Given the strategic importance of tourism as an industry to our nation, Wales could become a tourism VAT cut test bed if the Conservatives wanted it to be so. The Conservatives' new-found interest in the health of the Welsh tourism industry is to be very much welcomed. And I assume, therefore, given their concern about the tax burden on the tourist sector in Wales, that the Welsh Conservative party has succeeded in persuading Philip Hammond to deliver a cut in VAT in tourism when he unveils his budget in a few weeks' time. That is Plaid Cymru's policy on tourism and taxation in Wales, and we will be placing an amendment to the UK budget -
Welsh: Nid polisi Plaid Cymru yw cyflwyno treth dwristiaeth. Rydym yn croesawu camau i archwilio pedair treth, fel yr amlinellodd Llywodraeth Cymru, i gasglu tystiolaeth am ein bod yn blaid â meddwl agored, yn barod i edrych ar syniadau newydd arloesol, oherwydd gadewch i ni ei wynebu, Dirprwy Lywydd, pryd bynnag y ceir syniad newydd mewn gwleidyddiaeth ar yr ynysoedd hyn, mae'r Blaid Geidwadol bob amser ar yr ochr anghywir. Ni fyddem yn eistedd yn y Siambr hon heddiw pe baent wedi cael eu ffordd eu hunain am eu bod bob amser ar yr ochr anghywir i hanes, ac mae hynny'n wir am eu polisi ar drethiant. Fel cyflogwr mwyaf ond un Cymru, twristiaeth yw asgwrn cefn yr economi mewn sawl rhan o'n gwlad; mae'n cefnogi, fel y dywedodd yr Aelod dros Fynwy, 120,000 o swyddi ac mae'n hanfodol bwysig i bob rhan o'n gwlad. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'r diwydiant twristiaeth yn y Deyrnas Unedig yn wynebu baich treth anghymesur o uchel o gymharu â'n diwydiannau allweddol eraill a gwledydd eraill yn Ewrop. Y Swistir yn unig sy'n gosod baich treth mwy na'r Deyrnas Unedig - [Torri ar draws.] - ar ei diwydiant twristiaeth. Mae'n ddrwg gennyf, rwy'n meddwl fy mod wedi bod yn eithaf hael; hoffwn fwrw ymlaen. Mae 16 allan o 19 o wledydd yn ardal yr ewro â chyfradd TAW ar gyfer gwasanaethau twristiaeth sy'n is na 10 y cant. Mae ein cymydog agosaf, ac mewn sawl ffordd, y wlad sy'n cystadlu'n uniongyrchol â ni, Iwerddon, wedi gostwng y gyfradd TAW i 9 y cant yn 2011: crëwyd 57,000 o swyddi ychwanegol o ganlyniad. Mewn marchnad fyd-eang a mwyfwy cystadleuol, mae ar Gymru angen pob mantais bosibl i werthu ein hunain fel cyrchfan i dwristiaid. Mae ein system dreth, a oruchwylir gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, ar hyn o bryd yn rhoi Cymru a'r nifer o fusnesau bach sy'n sylfaen i'n diwydiant twristiaeth dan anfantais. Mae Plaid Cymru wedi galw dro ar ôl tro am dorri TAW ar wasanaethau i dwristiaid o 20 y cant i 5 y cant. Amcangyfrifir - . Mae tystiolaeth yn awgrymu y byddai'r gostyngiad yn creu dros 5,500 o swyddi yng Nghymru, gan chwistrellu £166 miliwn i mewn i economi Cymru. O ystyried pwysigrwydd strategol twristiaeth fel diwydiant i'n cenedl, gallai Cymru ddod yn fan treialu toriad TAW i dwristiaeth pe bai'r Ceidwadwyr eisiau i hynny ddigwydd. Mae diddordeb newydd y Ceidwadwyr yn iechyd y diwydiant twristiaeth yng Nghymru i'w groesawu'n fawr iawn. Ac rwy'n tybio, felly, o ystyried eu pryder am y baich treth ar y sector twristiaeth yng Nghymru, fod plaid y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi llwyddo i berswadio Philip Hammond i gyflwyno toriad yn y TAW i dwristiaeth pan fydd yn datgelu ei gyllideb ymhen ychydig wythnosau. Dyna bolisi Plaid Cymru ar dwristiaeth a threthiant yng Nghymru, a byddwn yn cyflwyno gwelliant i gyllideb y DU -