§ 1. Mr. William Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will seek to confer powers upon the Wales Tourist Board to approve the naming of hotels to classify hotels according to an official classification, and to strengthen the financial position of the Board to enable it to undertake this work.
§ The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Cledwyn Hughes)The Wales Tourist Board has been given a special Exchequer 1584 grant for 1968–69 to enable it to complete the listing of all holiday accommodation in Wales conforming to the minimum standards recommended by the British Travel Association. Any alteration in the powers of the Tourist Board would be something I would wish to consider in the context of the wider review of tourism policy which the Government are now undertaking.
§ Mr. EdwardsWhile I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for undertaking that review, may I ask whether he is aware that we could learn a good deal from the way in which the Irish Government are dealing with their tourist industry? Is there not a strong case for the creation of a powerful Welsh tourist Board, with more money and powers to organise the industry?
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesI will look at the tourist experience of other countries. My hon. Friend must appreciate that considerable progress has been made in Welsh tourism over the last 18 months.