HC Deb 21 December 1966 vol 738 cc1397-8
17. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek power to enable him to encourage an increased number of people from England and Wales to spend their holidays in Scotland.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

I do not think that my right hon. Friend needs more powers. The Scottish Tourist Board has his full support in its work in this field and, as my right hon. Friend told my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 30th November, the Scottish tourist industry will share in the benefits of the expanded home holidays campaign with the British Travel Association is mounting with the aid of a Government grant.

Mr. Wainwright

As the Government want people to spend their holidays within these shores, will my hon. Friend take steps to ensure that the advertising of the beauties of Scotland is intensified? Would he also consider the question of improving the available accommodation? Would he also consider the question of the vast areas of land in Scotland that are reserved for private use just for a few days per year?

Dr. Mabon

I will certainly draw these matters to the attention of the Tourist Board, as well as giving the assurance that they will be noted by my right hon. Friend. My hon. Friend should know that the work going on just now on all these matters, including market research—market research in England, primarily—is sustained by a Government grant of £25,000 each year for three years. We hope to get some results out of it which will lead us to a considerable change in policy regarding tourism in Scotland.

Mr. David Steel

Will the Under-Secretary take a look at the success of the Governments of the Republic of Eire and of Northern Ireland in giving direct grants for the promotion of advertising for tourism in their respective countries? Should we not be doing the same in Scotland to attract more tourists?

Dr. Mabon

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, together with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, are considering these matters thoroughly. We have taken, and are taking, comparisons with other countries, including the Republic of Ireland, which, I agree, has a very good record of State support of tourism. We want to make decisions about this when the facts are quite clear and when the proposed action which should be taken is economically sensible.

Sir J. Gilmour

Would the Under-Secretary consult the management of British European Airways, a State-run airline, which spends all its money advertising trips to every part of Europe but nothing to Scotland?

Dr. Mahon

One of the main changes which was made under this Government in the Tourist Board by itself, with the endorsement of the Secretary of State, was to change it from those who were specifically disinterested—or not interested commercially—in tourism to what is in fact a manufacturers' co-operative. The airlines are now for the first time represented on the Scottish Tourist Board, and I am sure they will want to play their proper part in tourism in Scotland. This is a matter of education and persuasion which I think is going along very nicely.