§ 8. Mr. Manuelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the total amount of Government grant which will be given to the Scottish Tourist Board for 1964–65 and for 1965–66.
§ Mr. NobleA temporary grant of £15,000 a year was introduced in 1959 for a three-year period. It has since been extended for a further two years and will be continued for another year to cover 1964–65.
§ Mr. ManuelDoes that roundabout Answer mean that the paltry sum of £15,000 a year, which has been received by the Tourist Board for the last five years, is to be discontinued in 1965–66 and that thereafter the Board will receive no Government grant? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Government of Northern Ireland gives its Tourist Board £150,000 annually and that the Government of Eire spends £500,000 annually to boost its tourist facilities? Will he not try to measure up to those smaller countries and do something for Scotland?
§ Mr. NobleThe hon. Member is wrong in thinking that it was a paltry sum. It was a sum provided for a specific experimental purpose, and it has produced very useful results. As I told the hon. Member in our Second Reading debate on the Tourist Amenities Bill some time ago, this is not the sum total of Government help. About £1,250,000 is given through the B.T.H.A. to help tourism, and on its calculations a direct sum of £40,000 is given to the Scottish 338 Tourist Board and up to £400,000 is spent on services which are directly applicable to tourism in Scotland.
§ Mr. HoyBut if the £15,000 has had such beneficial effects as the right hon. Gentleman claims, why is he discontinuing it?