Wales gets first tax chief

KATHRYN Bishop has been confirmed as the Welsh Revenue Authority’s first chair.

In just over a year, Wales will raise taxes for the first time in 800 years when stamp duty land tax and landfill tax are devolved. Land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax will replace these taxes in Wales from April 1, 2018.

The Tax Collection and Management (Wales) Act, passed by the National Assembly in April 2016, established devolved tax arrangements in Wales, including the creation of the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA) to collect and manage devolved Welsh taxes.

The WRA is the first non-ministerial Welsh Government department and will become operational in April 2018. Over the next four years, it will collect more than £1bn of tax revenues.

Finance Minister Mark Drakeford said: “I am pleased to be able to confirm Kathryn Bishop’s appointment as the first chair of the WRA. Kathryn brings a wealth of experience to the role and will provide the WRA with the leadership and vision to ensure a smooth transition as Wales takes on tax powers.”

Ms Bishop said: “I am delighted to be appointed as chair of the WRA – a new public body with an important function in Wales – and I look forward to working with the implementation team and the stakeholders.”

Ms Bishop’s appointment follows a fair and open recruitment exercise regulated by the Commission for Public Appointments, and was endorsed at a pre-appointment hearing by the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.