TAXING ISSUES: The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) is meeting Treasury officials today to discuss the Welsh farming sector’s concerns over changes to inheritance tax. 

The meeting follows lobbying by the FUW against changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

The union has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and also responded to the UK Parliament’s Welsh affairs select committee’s call for evidence.

ONLINE SAFETY: Children’s campaigners want the UK government to push Ofcom to strengthen its codes of practice on tackling the threat to children’s online safety, especially on private messaging channels.

The NSPCC said more than 2,000 child sexual abuse image crimes were recorded by the four police forces in Wales last year and has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding action to strengthen Ofcom’s current approach to private messaging.

Other signatories include Barnardos and the Marie Collins Foundation.

NEW MONEY: The UK government yesterday committed to £15 million of Levelling Up funding for Venue Cymru in Llandudno, north Wales, and the Newport Transporter Bridge in south Wales.

The previous Tory government had pledged the money but had failed to find the funding to put £5m into the bridge and £10m for Venue Cymru.

Wales Minister Jo Stevens claimed the money will upgrade the largest Welsh arts centre outside Cardiff and fund vital repair works to the bridge, which is a tourist attraction in Newport.

SECOND HOMES: House prices in Gwynedd have fallen by more than 12 per cent in the last year, figures show.

The decline comes after north Wales council introduced a requirement to obtain planning permission to turn residential properties into second homes or holiday lets in a bid to help local people afford homes.

Gwynedd Council also charges a 150 per cent council tax premium on such properties, having upped this from 100 per cent in 2023.