1. Mr. Fred Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is now able to give the net cost to public funds 3 of the ceremony of the investiture of the Prince of Wales held at Caernarvon on 1st July, 1969; and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. George Thomas)The net cost of the Investiture was about £130,000. As the House will recall, a limit of £200,000 was set and I am very pleased to be able to announce that the cost of this magnificent occasion has turned out to be considerably less than even that modest amount. This was due to receipts from the sale of chairs and commemorative medals being greater than anticipated and to a very strict control being kept on expenditure.
Mr. EvansIs my right hon. Friend further aware of some of the indirect benefits received—for example, that the American National Geographical Magazine, which charges about 27,000 dollars per page for advertisements, devoted 18 pages to the Investiture, and that this can result in nothing but an increase in tourism for Wales?
§ Mr. ThomasMy hon. Friend is right to draw attention to that significant free advertisement that Wales obtained. But tourism in Wales increased substantially during the past summer, and I have no doubt that now that the advantages of Wales are known it will increase still further.